Slumberland
by Ladelle
Summary: When Naruto's world literally fades to black, he is left with one resolve: to find the one who saved him. Naru/Sasu/Naru
1. Chapter 1

**Slumberland**

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**Author:** Ladelle

**Rating:** M

**Warnings:** This is a bit darker than my other stuff.

**Comments:** Okay, I know, I'm sure at least ten people want to chew my head off for starting something new...again. But the truth is, I haven't had a writing bunny this big since Misery Business. I'm already halfway through the third chapter, and I keep having dreams about it, and in general, I can't stop writing it. It's so different from anything I've done so far, and I like the challenge of writing something so bizarrely unique. Forgive me while I hack this one out because it's got me possessed.

I hope you guys like it too.

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**Part I**

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There was something different about the way the clouds fell over the sun, spilling over the horizon like paint dripping down a grey-colored wall. They shrouded the metropolis in unequivocal smog, the smoke from the inner-city factories forming clumps of haze that were too thick to evaporate in the humidity. It was sweltering and muggy and a commonly unbearable summer day.

Naruto clasped a palm against his mouth as he coughed, his throat burning from having run five blocks to catch his subway train. His hand curled around a cool metal pole as the car dove forward, steadying him as the train's wheels connected with the rusting tracks beneath. They whistled and the sound made Naruto flinch, even if the same shriek of grinding metal invaded his ears every single morning on the ten minute trip to the Marquis.

"Mommy, I don't feel good today," a small girl said, and since there were only a few people on the train, her voice carried to where Naruto stood. He watched as the little girl's mother rubbed a thumb on her cheek, looking sullen.

"It's a day just like any other, Cara," was her comforting reply, but her words didn't match the expression on her face. Her eyes reminded Naruto of a doe's, wide and bothered, and after a short second he realized the little girl was staring up at him, curious.

He grinned to hide his surprise and was happy to see that the expression was contagious; the little girl beamed up at him, all until the train jolted a couple of times, causing her to grip her mother tightly in order not to fall.

Hardly anyone used the subway systems anymore; it was far too dangerous. Since the throngs of city people commuted above ground more often than not, the state neglected the underground transport, leaving it in horrible condition. Repairs were so far and few that they hardly existed, and the train itself was a mess to behold. The seats were shredded with wear and the floors were embedded with a jumble of muddied footprints, and most of the windows were either cracked or missing completely.

But for some odd reason the machine still ran, and was still the fastest way to go. Naruto fancied the age of it, imagining what it would have been like to see it clean and clustered full of people; to hear their chatter over the grinding wheels beneath, or to feel the sobered breath of a stranger against his neck.

If ever a voice had once existed to announce exits it was no more, and so by practice, Naruto knew his stop by a disfigured hot dog stand that lay crumpled before a large sign that read, underneath a few smears of graffiti, '4'. The subway jittered to a halt, groaning as it did so, and Naruto saw his knuckles whiten as his grip tightened on the metal pole beside him.

The car screamed to a halt and Naruto grimaced again, all before rushing through the jerky sliding doors before they closed. His boots hit the crumpled pavement of the old loading area, and a puff of condensation swelled from the train's rear, rising like a cloud, but unable to escape past the tiled ceiling.

Beads of sweat collected on Naruto's forehead and he hurried up the old stairwell, instinctively reaching for a handrail that didn't exist. His opposite hand clutched a rucksack, clutching it tightly to his chest until he finally reached the street level, where car horns and trolley engines nearly deafened him. He looked at his watch and realized, with a click of his tongue, that he was going to have to hurry. Even though the weekends had less sidewalk traffic, he always managed to find the busiest walkways.

He whipped around the nearest corner and jogged forward, his shirt sticking to his skin as the sun caught him from in between the skyscrapers above. He let out a short cough as he rounded another corner, content to see his destination straight ahead.

The Marquis was tall and exquisite, made of glass and metal holding-beams. Like everything above ground it looked brand new from a distance, but a closer proximity showed the damage taken from the sun and pollution, and the general deterioration of aged architecture.

The metal handrails that flaked rust didn't catch Naruto's attention, and a barren willow tree in the courtyard didn't seem at all out of place. He quickly hustled up the short concrete stairway and ducked inside, feeling chilled when the air conditioning attacked the dampness clinging to his skin. A woman seated at a receptionist table raised an eyebrow at him and he held up the beat-up satchel he had in his hand.

"I'm changing, I'm changing," he explained, and he rushed by her, headed straight for the employee bathrooms. He was already unbuttoning his shirt when he opened the door, clumsily slamming into someone attempting to emerge. His satchel fell to the ground, and he tore his vision upward, looking apologetic.

"I'm so sorry," he said, but the figure, a tall and slender man with no interest in their collision, was already disappearing from sight. Naruto watched as the door closed behind the stranger, someone he had never seen before. Pale skin was pretty unusual for a city that normally baked under the sun's scrutiny. He shook his head and scrambled into the bathroom.

Naruto's watch beeped and he let out a startled gasp before falling to his knees to retrieve his bag, ripping out a dry collared shirt, decorated with detailed designs over its left breast. He pulled off his sweat-dampened tee shirt and shrugged on the nicer one, wriggling out of his pants as he did so. When he was finished buttoning the starched shirt he fished out a dark pair of work-denims and stumbled around the room in an attempt to tug them on, fighting to get his shoes back on while he fastened the waist.

After stuffing his traveling clothes into his bag he washed his face and ran a damp hand through his hair, looking at himself in the mirror. His eyes were a shocking blue today, not dull and distracted like usual. He was focused, prepared, and as his watch beeped again, unfashionably late.

"Damn it all," he cursed, ducking back out into the lobby. "Its on the 43rd, right Julie?"

The receptionist glanced up at the mention of her name, and nodded passively. She looked irritated, and Naruto felt ridiculous for being late for the third time since his newest promotion. It was a gift that he was such a people-person; if it weren't for his social skills he imagined he'd be someplace less renowned than the Marquis, one of the world's most well-known corporate agencies.

Dodging onto an elevator, Naruto tapped his fingers against the railing within, his heart pounding in his chest. He was unreasonably nervous for something he had done hundreds of times before. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, feeling the elevator rise higher and higher in his gut.

It was just as the little girl had said. Something didn't feel right.

Naruto's eyes snapped open when the elevator started to groan. While it was normal for abandoned contraptions like the subway to sound displeased, it wasn't for an elevator put to use every single day. He felt the momentum of traveling upward slow and looked up to the numbered floors above. Thirty-two was lit.

The doors began to open, the lights began to flicker, and a huge decrescendo of energy swelled into a massive sound that Naruto recognized to be one thing. A power outage.

His gut twisted.

The door had only opened about a foot, and Naruto thanked whoever for at least that. He shimmied out and stood silent in the corridor feeling goose bumps prickle on his arms as he looked around, unable to see a single thing in the darkness. His breathing was starting to come faster, and he placed a hand against the wall beside the elevator, following it blindly.

He hissed when the sound of electricity fizzled through the corridor, and the lights made a valiant attempt to come back on. They failed, but in their place the emergency breakers kicked in, providing him with a yellow-hued hallway that looked strangely eerie, especially when the lights hardly provided illumination at all. They were old and faded and only provided short and staccato pulses of insignificant light.

Glancing around, the landing was more difficult to make out with the blinking lights than without. The shadows of uninhabited desks and stocky looking lamps looked like hunched figures crouched against the floor and walls. Naruto shook the images from his head.

"You're imagination's too big," he told himself. "It's just a power outage."

Each floor had a conference room, and magnificent ones at that. They had incredible views of the city from windows that stretched from floor to ceiling, tinted to make the sky look an outstanding shade of blue instead of the stippled molded grey it was to the naked eye.

Naruto searched for the room on this particular floor, squinting his eyes as the breaker lights blinked on and off, indicating a sense of emergency. He frowned, trying to remember the last time a power outage had occurred.

In all honesty, he couldn't remember one at all.

He felt his way past many desks, into private offices, and finally to a broad doorframe that resembled the ones he vaguely remembered. He crept inside the room, running his fingers down the stucco wall, over dry-erase boards and framed pictures, searching for the opposite end of the room.

It was when his fingers touched cold glass that he realized he had made it to the conference room, and that his hand was resting against the window that should have overlooked the city. A moment of panic overcame him, but only for a small moment. He let out a deep breath, and walked to the centerpiece of the window, flipping up a button in an attempt to un-tint it.

To his surprise, the switch was already where he wanted it.

Sometimes it saved on air conditioning to control how dark the rooms could be, and he assumed that was the case with the window he was standing next to. According to the switch, the glass wasn't tinted at all. Taking one more glance to the darkness in front of him, Naruto let out a sigh. The device was broken; that was the only explanation.

Naruto stared, a bit dumbfounded, feeling suddenly nervous. He wasn't normally claustrophobic, but being stuck on the 32nd floor surrounded by blinking hazy yellow lights made him a little uncomfortable, especially being completely alone.

Something red caught his eye, and Naruto leaned against the window, pressing his nose against it to try and fathom what it could be through the tint. His eyes widened as he saw more and more specks of red, all blinking. His stomach was tightening without him realizing, and suddenly, he realized the de-tinter wasn't broken at all.

He was looking at the city—the entire city suffering from a power outage, red emergency lights flickering as far as he could see across the horizon. The darkness would have made sense…if it wasn't midday.

Naruto saw tiny shadows moving in the streets, dodging in and out of the visibility emergency stoplights provided, and he swallowed a lump in his throat.

"Where…" the words were lost to him, but his tongue and lips moved to form them anyway. "…is the sun?"

A panic surged through him, but not before denial. The sun couldn't just disappear; that's not how the universe worked. It was probably a satellite blocking the light, jamming the signals and tricking electrical currents. Naruto wanted to shrug it off, but he couldn't.

He was breathing too fast, and his blood was pulsing too quickly. An adrenaline rush from fear, with nothing to do with the newfound energy. He stepped away from the window when a firework exploded across the way, a huge red explosion that sparkled into a hazy puff that reminded Naruto of tear gas.

It was a flare.

_A flare_? His mind couldn't comprehend it. Why would someone be shooting a flare?

He leapt backwards as two more soared into view, detonating into their own brightly colored masses, only to fade into darkness after the original blast occurred. Naruto felt his jaw drop when he heard a whistle just beyond the window's plexiglass, and one of the flares bloomed like a flower made of flames, a mere twenty feet from where he stood.

He felt frozen in place when he saw what looked like shadows moving through the temporary light, and clenched his eyes closed.

"It's a trick of the light. Reflections from the glass…" he couldn't finish the theory. He wasn't even sure what he was trying to convince himself of. His hands were shaking at his sides and he willed his stomach to stop rising to his throat. Aside from the crackling noise of the flares outside, he could only hear his own breathing, a raspy and impatient sound that made his apprehension swell into anxiety.

Naruto made an effort to take his next breath in slowly, enough to settle his racing heart. It didn't work like he planned, but he opened his eyes and felt them dart back and forth, searching the world beyond his window. It was a sea of black; even the colored puffs from the flares had dissolved.

His feet moved before his brain could tell them not to as he came closer to the window, squinting in an attempt to make out his surroundings. The world around him became painstakingly quiet except for the blood pounding in his ears as his heart continued to race. His fingers met the window and he pressed is cheek against it, looking as far as he could to the left and right, in hopes of seeing some sign of familiarity.

The sun was as he had thought…gone.

He rested his head against the cool glass and felt the room begin to turn muggy, defenseless against the humidity and heat without working air conditioning. Though he couldn't see anything, he could imagine what would be out there, right where he was looking. He imagined the opaque dome of the art museum, surrounded by electrical fences and gigantic power lines. On a good day you could see the little park beyond, with its sun-bleached playground and sticky black-top.

There hadn't been a 'good day' in a while. The smog had been too much; too thick. The world was slowly burning away, suffocated by pollution and oppressive heat.

_Tap._

Naruto heard it, like someone clicking their fingernail on the other side of the window. He pressed his ear against the glass as the sound continued, almost as though it was growing nearer and nearer.

He frowned, unsure of how to place the noise. It reminded him of movies where glass cracked and chipped, a single vein jetting across the clear surface. When he pulled back to see if that as the case, his heart nearly stopped.

Two ghostly eyes met his through the plated window, merely inches away. A hand mirrored his own, which was settled lightly against the surface, unmoving due to an encompassing shock that froze Naruto in place. The person leaned forward, a chilling smirk decorating their unimaginably pale features, and before Naruto could think to move, the glass in front of him was creating a spider web of breaks; shattering before his very eyes.

The force of the blow knocked him off his feet, sending him toppling backwards, shards of glass slicing him as they shot like daggers onto the wall and floor behind him. He collapsed to the ground with an estranged cry, gripping his shoulder as a small chunk of the window embedded itself into it, sending pangs of white-hot pain straight to his nerves.

Naruto's eyes were damp and his thoughts were muddled, mixed with shock and confusion and an almost unbearable pain. He heard footsteps behind him, hard thumps against the ground—the very floor he had been slammed into. He had to _move_.

He felt his foot twitch and he drew his knee towards his chest, but his whole body was sore. The footsteps were right next to him now, and he could see a black leather boot right next to his face from beneath the sweat-clumped bangs that clung to his forehead.

The thing spoke, and it was a language Naruto had never heard.

Wind whistled through the fragmented window, a hot breeze that made Naruto feel sick to his stomach, especially when he felt his shirt dampening with blood where the shard of glass had pierced his arm. He inhaled sharply and the effort caused him to groan.

It also caused the creature standing next to him to speak again, a human voice creating words that didn't exist. They were a rush of vowels with sharp rises in tone, ones that made Naruto feel like he was being laughed at.

A searing pain rippled through him as the thing gripped his injured shoulder and tore him upward from the ground, lifting him as though he was weightless. Naruto clamped his teeth together and managed to unclench his eyes, breathing short and clipped gasps of air as he met the stranger's gaze.

His stomach rose to his throat; the creature _was_ human…and wasn't at the same time. It was prettier with a thin and elongated body, wrapped in a pale and waxen skin. Like a child's porcelain doll, except without clouded and glassy eyes. The eyes in front of Naruto were sharp and keen, and brutally scarlet. They reminded Naruto of colored contacts, or a vampire film he had watched only a few months ago.

"Let go of me," Naruto bit out. Nothing in the person's expression made him feel safe; his adrenaline was kicking in, urging him to fight, to get away, to _run._

Red eyes narrowed to examine him. They weren't normal and Naruto felt as though they saw through him, straight into his mind. He had no idea what was going on, but he knew he wasn't safe; he knew the fingers tangled around his arm could break him easily.

Naruto felt the soreness in his joints flicker away, the unyielding sense of escape creating a bitter taste on his tongue. He narrowed his eyes and brought his leg up fast, slamming it into the creature's side. Whether it was out of surprise or pain, Naruto wasn't sure, he was released. He fell to the floor with an emasculating thud and scrambled to his feet, racing towards the stairwells.

There was an infuriated growl from behind him followed by footsteps that were hard against the ground.

_It's going to kill me, it's going to kill me…_

Naruto twirled around the lobby way entry, slamming himself against the doorway to the staircase as he jammed himself through it. He sped forward, tripping over his own feet, grasping the rail to steady himself. It was still so dark and the emergency lights were such a faded custard color that they hardly did any justice to the narrow stairs beneath his feet.

He heard the beast come crashing through the door, assorted fragments of it bumbling down the landing as it ripped from its hinges. Naruto's breath was hot in his mouth and his chest pulsed, and he wondered if the feeling soaring through him was strong enough to get him away. His legs were steady in their descent, but his lips trembled, and he rounded another corner, the name plate on the wall labeling it floor number 30.

He skipped a few stairs and heard the footsteps from above coming faster, harder against the tiled flooring. His eyes watered as he whipped around another corner, and a deafening boom came from behind him. It was like slow motion as he turned his head, watching those leather boots land only a few stairs behind him, closing the distance possibly fast.

Naruto hadn't seen it—the figure in front of him. The shadows hid him well, so much that when Naruto felt a strong arm curve around his waist he thought it was his gut rising to his throat, a precursor to vomit. He was suddenly pulled forwards, spun around so fast and with such ease that he felt his feet rise from the floor and his arms scramble for something to hold.

That language; he heard it again, only this time, it was different. It was agitated, or so he assumed, but softer. Not feral, but tense and full of warning. Naruto tried to turn his head, to peer up at the stranger holding him as far from his attacker as possible, but it was a failed attempt. He was only met with the rough leather of a thick jacket, and a quick glance of impossibly fine jet-black hair.

There was an argument that Naruto didn't understand, but the person grasping him was impeccably still and calm, even as the other figure raged from behind. Naruto couldn't see him, couldn't see the anger in those frightening red eyes, but he knew at once that these two beings were not friends. His thoughts were confirmed when he saw his captor's arm raise, a slender forefinger outstretched, and heard the frightening sound of bones snapping to pieces.

There was a thud, and Naruto knew the thing that had been chasing him was dead. He was released, his feet minutely finding footing on the linoleum below, that sound replaying itself in his ears like a sickening tune on repeat.

Feeling everything overwhelm him at once, Naruto stumbled backwards, sinking to the floor as he collided with a wall behind him, his lungs rushing to catch up with the five flights of stairs he had managed. His fingers curled around his shoulder, feeling the piece of glass wedged there, gurgling blood around it.

Naruto's head whipped up when the man who saved him spoke, but couldn't help but cower backwards when he met the face of the person—no, _thing_—that had just completely massacred a body from the inside without any physical contact. The stranger's features were surprisingly young and his body was one long curve of pale skin, looking unbelievably soft in the breaker-lit lighting, and incredibly dangerous.

Naruto's stomach caught when their vision met, the stranger's defined features decorated with paralyzing eyes. They were just as blood-red as the other creature's, only they didn't looked starved or playful. There was a look of pity in them and a sadness that Naruto couldn't place. It was strange to think this type of person could feel regret, but an air of emotion was filling the gap between them, much like water overwhelming a person who couldn't swim.

The figure leaned down and Naruto's breath hitched.

"_Eesshiao-anomona…"_ Naruto heard the words clearly, and the stranger knelt down, his fingers taking the place of Naruto's over the bruised and bloody wound. Naruto was sure it was fear that kept him rooted in place, a false trust instilled by the fact he wasn't trying to run away. But their eyes were locked, some intangible understanding brewing between them, one that language didn't seem necessary to decipher.

The thing before him, the man that was too beautiful to be human, wasn't going to hurt him.

The grip on his shoulder tightened and Naruto looked away, not wanting to see. He felt slender fingers clutch his muscle and then a startling sudden heated pressure. He hissed and forced his eyes shut; he could feel the glass withdrawing and his muscle screaming in resistance. He balled his fists and the stinging sensation in is arm worsened, all until he heard the clinking of glass hitting linoleum. It was out.

There was a moment when his skin felt like it was on fire, but it only lasted a second. Naruto let out a shaky breath and cracked open his eyes, realizing that at some point he had clamped them shut.

The tense feeling in his muscles eased, and Naruto's skin began to tingle pleasantly instead. In mere seconds the process was finished, the presence in front of Naruto gone as the stranger stood, wiping his hands on the leather lapel of his trench coat. He looked a bit disgusted to have his hand dirtied so, caked with dried blood.

Naruto watched him, enraptured. He was fascinated and confused, and as much as his mind begged him to look away, he couldn't help but soak in the form before him. They met eyes again and Naruto felt shocked, not at all used to that cold and inhuman stare.

The trench coat billowed as the stranger turned, breaking the air between them, ending the moment that seemed like a connection, interrupting whatever understanding they had shared. Naruto found his voice.

"W-wait—" he leaned forward, but the figure was already gone; vanished.

A moment of silence passed and he felt an unfamiliar sense of disappointment. Naruto was strangely alone, with only the disfigured body of the creature that had attacked him to look at. Its eyes were glazed, no longer frightening. Its teeth were sharp, he realized, and chipped where its mouth had collided with the floor.

There was a commotion from the floors above, and Naruto felt his heart rate quicken. His head snapped up, searching the darkness for shadows; for tall and gangly shapes against the wall, and skin too light to be natural. Were there more?

He tried to pull himself up but his body wouldn't move. It was stiff and hot, and his joints felt like they no longer existed. He was suddenly only muscle, piled helplessly with nothing for defense.

"Is anyone down there!?"

It was surprising to hear a human voice. Naruto felt fearful and hesitant, so he didn't respond right away.

Letting out a deep breath, he hollered, "Yes!"

He felt the need to say more, to scream out that he had been attacked and then saved and that he couldn't move, let alone even think…but his throat was dry and sticky and his thoughts were convoluted.

Who had the person been, the one that saved him? And _why_?

Footsteps came fast down the stairs, and Naruto recognized the apprehensive face that stared down at him as one of his better-known co-workers. His name was Kiba Inuzuka, and he was an intern, often running errands for Naruto on busy corporate days.

"Are you—Naruto, what happened?" The man turned frighteningly pale at the sight of the mangled body beneath his feet, and his eyes lifted towards Naruto, crouched only a few feet away from it. Naruto swallowed a lump in his throat and rested his head back against the wall, not wanting to explain.

Kiba seemed to understand, at least, that Naruto didn't want to talk about it, and he looked back upstairs anxiously. "They've got the air raids going," he said, and he bit his lip. "And the buildings are being evacuated. There's a group coming down now."

Naruto nodded as Kiba continued to watch him, and the sounds of such an escape party beginning to echo down the stair chute. He closed his eyes, unresolved, his head comfortable against the cold stucco wall behind him.

"Here!" he heard Kiba yell, and the noise grew closer. He stayed still against the wall, his shoulder still warm from whatever process had healed it.

"Get back from there," a stern voice commanded, and Naruto opened one eye, only to see an armored military man yanking Kiba back from the dilapidated body below his feet. A cluster of people gasped from the level above, and a series of military personnel rushed to collect the carcass from the floor. One of the men was staring at him peculiarly.

"Who are you?" he asked, his voice laced with suspicion. Naruto stared back at the sergeant, his title clearly labeled by an ornate pin decorating his shirt.

"He's a translator," Kiba answered from behind. "He works here."

Naruto couldn't tear his eyes from the officer's, a tension between them. Naruto knew he had seen something he wasn't supposed to see. He knew that the body on the floor wasn't human, and neither was the person who had saved him. But aside from that, what _did_ he know?

"Your name?" the sergeant questioned and Naruto's lips moved, much like he was speaking from a dream.

"Uzumaki," he answered, and from behind him, another officer not struggling with the broken body flipped through a clipboard's worth of paper.

"Affirmed," he said shortly. "He's here on the employee register."

The sergeant moved closer to Naruto and squatted down onto his knees, his eyes almost as savage as the beast being hauled away behind him. Kiba was staring hesitantly down to him from the forefront of the crowd. The sergeant grunted, and Naruto's attention edged back to the man in front of him.

"How did you kill it?" The question was asked in such a low tone that Naruto had to strain himself to hear. When he didn't answer, the sergeant snorted, and spat against the doorway not two feet from where they sat. "You're nothing special."

The officer was on his feet in seconds, a look of disgust painting his harsh features. He turned away from Naruto and instead took reign of the employees that seemed utterly baffled from above. "Nothing to see here. We're moving on."

Giving one last wry glance to Naruto, the leader began down the stairway followed closely by men toting the waxen carcass, now wrapped in borrowed leather bomber jackets. Curiosity bubbled from the co-workers that followed behind as they exchanged terrified glances. They stared with pale faces at the corpse ahead of them, only to tear their vision back to Naruto, fear evident from their expressions. They continued on, no questions asked.

"What happened?" Kiba had fallen towards the back, waiting for enough people to leave in order to crouch down beside Naruto. He touched the shredded sleeve of Naruto's shirt, his lips curled downward in concern and interest.

"I…" Naruto started, but an officer that had been following at the rear of the small escape party had stopped behind them, waiting for them to follow the others. His eyes examined Naruto as though he was some sort of ant under a microscope, with as much dislike as the sergeant leading the pack.

They knew something, and they sensed that Naruto knew it too.

"Help me up," Naruto reached forward to grasp Kiba's arm. The intern looked slightly baffled at the quick change of subject, but hoisted Naruto up nonetheless.

Naruto's body didn't hurt as much as it had, but his calves were tight and his back felt numbingly sore. Naruto edged forward and started down the stairs, the rhythm of descending the staircase becoming easier on his muscles as he fell into the pattern.

More than ten flights were filled with silence, minus the booming cluster of heels and boots that scuffed he tiled flooring. Naruto couldn't help but feel like somehow, something inside of him had changed. That even if he were to step outside, sun blaring in his face like any normal day, his mind had been infected.

These memories would never leave him.

A city without no sun and eyes the color of blood, a waxen arm thinner than his own holding him rigorously in place; the sound of a body breaking, the howl of pain that followed. Those softer scarlet eyes on his, looking through him, the warmth on his shoulder, the wound that was no longer there.

The military men that watched him cautiously, that bagged up the crumpled body like it was nothing at all, and who wiped the staircase clean, to make it seem like nothing had transpired. Naruto felt Kiba's grip on his arm tighten, and he realized that he had stopped.

"You okay?" Kiba's voice was soft and examining. It was in this moment that Naruto felt a friendship between them, because Kiba was reading him perfectly. Naruto wasn't okay. Now, on his feet and lost in his own thoughts, he was coming back down to Earth. Everything he had seen was real, not a dream, and what he _knew_ had just happened was setting in.

He fell to the floor in an undignified lump and vomited.

The officer from behind them let out a disgusted sound and continued ahead, looking irritated and uncaring. Kiba crouched down beside Naruto, his hand a comfort on Naruto's healed shoulder.

"What _are_ they…" Naruto asked, not expecting Kiba to have an answer. To his surprise, the intern did have a response. It was spoken so softly that it was told like a secret, like Kiba himself was unsure if he was supposed to know.

He looked around cautiously, making sure the crowd had moved a good distance away. "I heard them talking, but it didn't seem real. They said they were dropping from the sky; that they were exploding in midair because some couldn't handle the altitude…"

"From the sky?" Naruto asked, and the queasy feeling gurgled in his stomach again. The flares. He had seen _shadows_ in them. Those things, their bodies, moving against the clouded light…

Kiba was quiet, for only a second. "They came through the roof," he said, and Naruto was confused until he saw where Kiba was looking, who he was referring to; the officers. "Like they knew. I don't know what's going on, but…"

Naruto knew what he was thinking.

"You better?" Kiba asked suddenly, and Naruto nodded, his stomach relieved. He wiped his chin and stood up again, and they started down the stairwell in a passive rush to catch up with their group.

On every floor the uniformed men would do a search, retrieving any employees that hadn't left the building already. Hours passed. They had to of. Kiba complained about forgetting his watch at home long enough that another man announced, when they were about halfway descended, that it was nightfall.

Naruto vaguely wondered if any were dead, attacked by the same type of monster that had pursued him. He figured he would never know, because the officials weren't divulging any information.

It was past midnight when they reached the lobby (or so announced the man with the watch), and the air had become thick with dust. It hovered like gravity had lost its effect, stale and stuck, making Naruto's lungs feel choked with every breath. Kiba was coughing, as was the majority of their party, and Naruto felt his way to the entryway doors, pricking his finger on a piece of stubbled glass. The door was shattered; burst through.

Naruto felt a tug on the back of his shirt, and turned to realize that it was only Kiba trying not to lose him. The sergeant was shouting for people to stay together, and Naruto's stomach had started to feel queasy again. It was intuition eating at his nerves, devouring his train of thought.

"We shouldn't go with them," Naruto said quietly. He could see the group's shadows across the way, by a set of emergency doors. He could also see the muscular forms of the officers drifting around, trying to wrangle the employees into some organized clump. Kiba's voice was a hiss against his ear.

"What do you mean? Isn't it—" Naruto shushed him, and Kiba obeyed. After a moment, Naruto turned to him.

"If you want to go with them, you can. I'm not, though." His voice was serious. They didn't feel right, even if they were the authority in the situation. The looks they gave him and the suspicion—Naruto didn't trust them, and his gut was urging him to move to a place where they wouldn't be able to find him.

"Did you kill that thing?" Kiba asked, his voice shaky.

Naruto shook his head and his eyes watered with how thick with powdery filth the air was.

"No. Someone saved me."

Kiba let out a laugh that wasn't at all assured. "I was kind of hoping you had; that you knew how," he admitted honestly. He didn't leave Naruto's side however, which was indication enough that he wasn't going with the large group causing a commotion from across the room.

"Come on," Naruto whispered, and he crept through the gaping hole in the entryway door, stepping foot on the crumbling concrete outside. The intern followed, and they ducked into a swell of smoke in order to hide from the prodding eyes of the officers still inside the building.

Naruto felt that at any moment they would realize he was not there. He didn't want to know what the fear inside of him meant, what the tingling sensation in his stomach was hinting. He knew he had to sneak away, and he grabbed Kiba's hand and yanked him to the side, rounding the corner of the building.

"The subway is up this way," Naruto said absently, and Kiba yanked his hand away, frowning.

Naruto squinted, trying to make out which way he meant. Everything was still unbearably dark, and while there wasn't as much of a haze outside as there had been in the lobby of the Marquis, the blinking street lights didn't provide much illumination.

"No one in their right mind uses the subway system anymore…" Kiba said nervously, and Naruto almost laughed. He started towards where he knew Main Street should be, making sure to stay hidden from any sounds he heard that reminded him of footsteps. The air smelled like copper and sulfate, and like thick ebbs of smoke from powdered blasts. A few car alarms chimed in the distance, but the normal urgency of daytime traffic had deadened to a ghostly quiet.

Naruto whipped to the side, and followed the crosswalk beneath his feet as a guide.

"I figure that if we need to evacuate," he explained, jumping the curb, "we can do it ourselves."

The world was eerily quiet. He thought he heard whispers from around him, but he ignored it, convinced it was his paranoia. But in the heavy recesses of the smog that was nearly opaque around them, it wasn't impossible.

Naruto stared at the shadow of a building that towered beside them, trying to recognize the outward curve of a sign shaped like a subway car. There were too many stop signs and street signs to mislead him, but he squinted his eyes and made an effort to search harder.

They had managed to find their way to a marketing street, with restaurants and businesses lining the road. Naruto remembered what it looked like in the daylight, a neon-studded alleyway crowded with people rushing to get indoors, away from the suffocating heat outside.

Now it was merely the skeleton of an attraction.

He recognized the sign almost immediately and paced closer to it, staring hard in order to confirm it was the one he hoped it was. Even in the darkness he could make out the shape of the subway car. Around it, metal rafters held the dilapidated and rusting shape in place.

Kiba was fumbling behind him, looking nervous and out-of-place. His hands had darted straight to his pockets as he hunched his figure, looking a bit like a nervous criminal.

"This is it," Naruto looked back at him, but they held eye contact for a very short period of time. His feet were already moving, his hands searching for a handrail. They grasped something cool and Naruto felt an ounce of accomplishment race through him.

"Kiba," Naruto hissed, seeing his friend meandering a few feet away. The intern jumped at Naruto's tone and jogged forward, shaking his head.

"I've just got a bad feeling, man," he explained, looking jittery. He stared hesitantly into the dark abyss that led to the under-parts of the city and continued. "It's like the city is _empty_…"

"Come on," Naruto encouraged, taking a step downward. He held his hand out to the intern, feeling confident in his plan of action. "We'll be fine."

Kiba gave him a look that said he'd never be fine another day in his life after what he had already been through, but he still moved forward. He walked past Naruto, his hands tight on the railing, his breathing heavy. "You're crazy, you know? It's just going to be dark, and who the hell know _what_ lives down here…"

Their shoes scraped the gravel of the stairwell as they descended, and the sound echoed dissonantly against the crackled tiled walls. It was a matter of moments before they reached the platform, the decaying subway station even more skeptical when it was shrouded in darkness.

Naruto suddenly felt the gravity of his friend's words. It was just as Kiba had said. The place was desolate and vacated, robbed of any sign of life. It also smelled rancid, like decay and sweat trapped by a stifling heat. Naruto chased the images his imagination concocted away.

There was a halo of a glow across the room, and it only caught Naruto's eye because it suddenly flickered to life. Kiba had noticed it too, but he stepped closer to Naruto, easier to read than a book. He was frightened, and wouldn't take a step closer without Naruto in the lead.

"I don't know," Naruto said, answering the unspoken question of what it could be. He took a step forward though, curiosity getting the best of him. Kiba didn't follow; his feet seemingly planted to the ground.

Naruto felt his nerves jitter as shadows seemed to crawl in the obscurity. The closer he got to the little blur of light the more he imagined figures hiding in the darkness, waiting to jump out at him. He thought he heard something move in front of him, and he let out a startled shout as something curled around his ankle.

He fell to the ground with a painful thud and scrambled against the floor, tearing at the concrete beneath him with his fingers. He heard Kiba holler something from behind, but he was too busy reaching for the small swell of light.

His fingers wrapped around it.

A dying flashlight.

He twisted around and attempted to illuminate the place where his ankle was, gasping in both fear and surprise when he saw bony fingers wrapped around his denims. An ancient-looking man stared at him, his lips parted, heavy pants escaping, along with a dribble of spit. He was pale and his face was wrinkled, and his eyes looked painfully bloodshot. His face was smeared in something red and blotchy, and Naruto didn't want to admit to himself that it could be blood.

"Let go of him!" Kiba yelled suddenly, and Naruto glanced up, seeing the outline of his friend. His fists were clenched at his sides and he was shaking, and Naruto felt his heart beat faster, even as he cautiously sat forward.

The old man didn't obey the command, but instead shifted, crawling on top of the gravel, pained gasps escaping his lips. "They're _everywhere_," he choked out.

Kiba came forward and nudged the old man's arm with is shoe, trying to get his grip to loosen. Naruto was breathing hard, watching as the man bore holes into him, his bloodshot eyes begging someone to listen. He crawled forward, like a spider that had lost a few legs, unable to move freely due to an injury Naruto couldn't and didn't want to see.

"T-they tried to evacuate us, but _they_ were here…" the man looked delirious, but Naruto knew what he was saying. The aliens; they had been in the subway. There had been people trying to evacuate, but the aliens had been there, and they were most likely ones like the first he had encountered.

"The guards," the man coughed, a sickening sound to hear, "they said it would be alright. But they—but they—"

The man's eyes glazed, and Naruto took the opportunity to shake his foot free. He scuttled backwards and jumped to his feet, Kiba wrapping a protective hand around his arm. They spared a glance to each other before glancing own to the old man, who was curling himself into a ball, looking like a person whose mind was lost. Only he didn't have enough left of a body to do so.

After a few minutes he stilled, and Naruto turned his head from the sight.

It was obvious; the man was dead.

"What..?" Kiba said, his words low and flooded with apprehension. He turned to look at Naruto before speaking again.

"That _thing_," Kiba said, his voice tainted. "That's what he meant, isn't it?"

Naruto imagined what was running through his friend's mind; after all, Kiba had only stumbled upon the broken body at the bottom of the stairwell, hardly looking like anything earthly with the odd angles it was bent at. Naruto nodded, and after a belabored minute, turned to gage the person who had, in such a short span of time, become his closest friend.

He held up the flashlight in an attempt to make out the rest of the room, and this time, he could make out masses. Bulges on the floor that looked like bodies, colored in the same navy blue as the military men that he had met earlier.

Kiba jumped when he saw the same sight, a quick rush of breath escaping his chest. His voice was full of fear and the intern licked his lips, a shaky breath escaping them. After glancing around, he asked, "What the hell—what happened?"

The room suddenly smelled sickening, and Naruto's stomach recoiled. The earlier stench…it had been death. He took a deep breath and looked Kiba straight in the eye.

"The one that you saw…the one that was dead…"

Kiba stared at him.

"It came through the window," he divulged. "It tore through it like it was paper."

There was a pregnant pause before Kiba shuddered. "What was it? And how…how did it _die_?"

Naruto thought for a moment, biting his lip. "I don't know. They're…not human, but they look like us. They're pretty," he thought, his mind wandering to the one that had protected him. He was about to say something else when Kiba cut him off.

"_Pretty?_" he almost choked out the word. "That _thing_ on in the stairway was _not_ pretty!"

Naruto snorted. "Before it was snapped limb-from-limb, it wasn't that bad-looking," he stated. Kiba seemed to take the hint that Naruto was attempting to tell his story and pursed his lips shut. Naruto let out a short breath and continued.

"It chased me," he explained, feeling his mind fade to reminiscence. His memories surged forth and could no longer resist the urge to reveal them.

"It was going to kill me," he said seriously, glancing up to meet his friend's stare. "But there was another one. It saved me." In any other circumstance those words may have sounded comical, admitting that an alien had possibly rescued you from an otherwise certain death. But Naruto's gaze held steady as he admitted the events to the man beside him.

"It saved you? Why?" Kiba asked. Naruto couldn't answer because he did not know himself.

The flashlight flickered a bit before the light was completely lost, and Naruto bashed it against the palm of his hand to get it working again. He felt himself wondering how many people were still in the city, and if it had been a mistake not to leave with the other employees of the Marquis. Kiba's voice snapped him from his thoughts, almost as though he had read them.

"Not all of them are bad then, right?" his voice was full of hope-turned-fact. "It's a good thing we stayed. Those officers would have never told us anything. And…well, look what happened here."

Naruto admired the newly found conviction in his friend's voice, even if it was a placeholder for the fear he most undoubtedly felt. Naruto felt it too, but there was also something else. His shoulder was still warm; it still tingled from when the alien had healed it. He wondered if it would always feel that way; if it was a sensation he was allowed to keep.

"So…" Kiba said as a silence encompassed them. "What should we do now?"

Naruto thought for a moment, but he didn't have a plan. He didn't know what he _wanted_ to do, much less what he should. His lips parted to admit that fact, but an earth-shaking groan made the underground place rumble, bits of loose rock crumbling to the floor.

Both Naruto and Kiba's heads snapped towards the stairwell. Whatever it was, it was happening above.

Naruto was up in an instant and Kiba was back to his nerve-wracked state-of-mind, looking as though he'd be shaken from a dream at any moment.

"You're not going out there, are you?" he sounded a bit fanatic, like the idea was ludicrous. Naruto turned to him from the stairway as he found it with his fingers, merely preparing to exit.

"I'm not staying _here_," Naruto answered honestly. "I'm not afraid of them."

He quickly paced to the stairwell, tripping a bit in the darkness as he did so. As Kiba followed him up to the street level, he muttered, "You're insane."

The concrete crumbled beneath Naruto's feet as he stepped out towards the street, the air somehow less thick with dust than before. It had settled, it seemed, and breathing was easier. The groaning sound was louder now, and Naruto looked up.

It was coming from the sky.

Footsteps behind him didn't make Naruto turn; he knew it was Kiba. He let out a startled gasp, and Naruto did too, as color started to bleach the sky, thick ribbons of pink and blue and oyster-purple; a perfect sunrise. It spilled over the city the way water washes away dirt, the darkness slowly ebbed away by a familiar sky, slowly revealing itself.

Naruto's breath caught, watching the curved windows of the high-rise architecture reflect the impossible hues of color that flooded the city in life. It was a sunrise unlike any Naruto had ever seen, but he was certain that was because he had been sure he would never see one again.

"Look at that," Kiba said, but the comment was more for himself than for Naruto, who was standing in front of him. "What _is_ it?"

Naruto was wondering the same thing, unable to tear his eyes away from the massive form revealing itself not feet above the highest building in the metropolis. It was a slate of metal, but gigantic to behold, stretching so far that it had to of encompassed the entire city—

"Blocking the sun…" Naruto whispered to himself, his feet unconsciously moving forward, as though a few steps would provide a better view. It was covered in elaborate carvings that reminded Naruto of old science fiction novels he had read as a child. Small circles decorated the lower chunk of metal that jutted out from the bottom of the craft, and Naruto was positive they were windows. Wires hung like vines from the base, weaving in the air as wind influenced them, and as it shifted, morning sun filtered through.

"That's a spaceship," Kiba stated, his voice in an awkward sort of awe. "Do you see that? Naruto, it's a space—"

"I see that," Naruto said, his voice clipped. Every inhalation of air was jetting through his system like he was a train, chugging oxygen as though in minutes it would no longer be accessible. The realization was overwhelming him, the sounds of the contraption fading from his ears, the only thing on his mind an agonizing fascination.

His fingers twitched and his feet felt like running—but not away—towards it. He was drawn to it, the way a fly would be tempted by the dangerous and burning bulb of a lamp, and his stomach churned with a sensation he couldn't place.

His shoulder itched and he once again recalled the feeling of that slender arm around his waist, a cold and foreign leather against his skin; and a language he didn't know.

The city was lit again, though the shadows had only moved, not disappeared. The power was still down, but now Naruto could see the chaos and panic such an event had caused, from the abandoned cars twisted along the street to the deserted bikes and bags of random shopping items strewn about the sidewalk.

A plastic bag glided through with a breeze as if it was running away, twirling in the air as it blew over an abandoned vehicle with its doors ajar. Naruto watched as it disappeared from sight, feeling a sense of abandonment as his skin burned, like normal, under the presence of the sun.

"We should go," Kiba said, glancing around nervously. He was antsy, even when they could see their surroundings. Naruto nodded, agreeing, but unsure.

"Where do we go?" he asked absently, his eyes still attached to the beautiful piece of machinery gliding across the sky.

Kiba snorted. "Anywhere. Just, Naruto, come on—"

Naruto jumped when Kiba's fingers wrapped around his arm, and there was a distant hum, like an engine coming their way. Kiba tugged Naruto towards it, and Naruto finally looked at him, stumbling after.

"You're going towards the noise?" he asked, somewhat surprised. He looked back, half expecting the craft to of disappeared from the sky. It was still there though, magnificent and new, and nothing like Naruto could have ever imagined. His stomach pulled at the thought of walking away, like he was, and he felt an unexplainable urge to shake himself from Kiba and go running back towards it.

"It sounds like a car," Kiba said shortly. "If it was _them_, I doubt it would be a car." He was referring to the creatures from the spaceship. The aliens.

It was strange because the man that had rescued him hadn't seemed far from human. Just strong and lean, with red eyes and impossibly light-colored skin. His stomach turned at the memory, and he wanted more. More answers, more of everything.

A truck twisted around the corner; it was big and bulky, like a moving van. It jammed to a halt where the two of them stood and an officer jumped out from the passenger side with more-than skeptical eyes. He glanced back and forth between Kiba and Naruto, and his eyes settled firmly on the latter.

"You need to be evacuated," he said, and Naruto found himself taking a step backwards, that newfound intense intuition flaring inside of him. Kiba's grip on him was strong, but he turned, surprised by Naruto's sudden withdrawal. His eyes looked impatient, rather than understanding.

"We know what's going on, so now let's go," Kiba urged, not noticing the stare the officer was giving Naruto. He was being examined, seen-through, looked up-and-down, just as he had been with the sergeant before. His clothes were ripped and covered in blood. His hair was tousled, and he was smeared in a chalky black dust from wandering around outside after the flare-clouds dispersed.

He looked like he had seen one.

"Easy now," the officer said, reading Naruto's mind. He was going to run. It was burning in him, the inescapable feeling of being led to a trap. The official before him made a hand motion that brought the driver from the car as well, and suddenly, the reality seemed to hit Kiba.

"Hey, it's fine, he's just nervous—" he started, but the uniformed man in front of him motioned him away. Kiba stole a glance back to Naruto, looking petrified and guilty, and unsure of what to do.

Naruto was stepping backwards, and Kiba let him go. He was running in an instant, away, as fast as his feet could carry him. His lungs burned and he felt fear again, the first real fear he had felt since that monster had almost skewered him in the Marquis. It as funny, considering these men were perfectly human.

He turned a corner, hearing their footsteps from behind. They were faster, and he was out of shape. His muscles were sill sore, and his adrenaline hadn't refueled. He was running towards an alley, wondering if that man would be there, in the shadows, waiting to save him again.

Would he snap these men in half too?

Naruto felt his eyes tear. He didn't want to be caught. He didn't want to admit he had seen them. He trusted the government less than he trusted the invaders.

He was tackled to the ground unceremoniously, and he grunted in pain as his hands braced his fall, slicing open against bits of rocky concrete. He swore as the two men wrangled him, trying to keep him in place as he struggled to get away, to escape. He panted against the pavement.

"Look at this," an officer said, hoisting Naruto up. His was referring to Naruto's shoulder, and now, in the light, Naruto could see it.

There was a small mark, a swirl that was etched on his skin, looking much like it had been burned into his flesh. The area around it was faded white and the design itself was a rash-colored red. It felt irritated again as Naruto saw it. He didn't want to tear his eyes away.

"Is it one of their infections?" the other officer asked, and the other didn't answer. He was staring at Naruto like a man full of questions without the courage to ask a single one.

"Let's get him to quarantine," he answered instead, and Naruto made one last attempt to struggle and kick his way out of the hold.

"I'm not infected!" he yelled, and the officer gave him one last look of pity before dragging him out and back towards the truck. Kiba was still there, looking anxious and confused, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"Naruto, I—"

"Get into the truck," the official demanded, and Kiba didn't have the strength to argue. He climbed into the back of the carrier as a third officer yanked a door open. Naruto was thrown inside afterwards into a heap on the metal floor. He scrambled up, even though his side was shooting pain to his spine from the impact, but the door was closed, and once more, his world was dark.

He banged on it until Kiba pulled him back and tackled him to the floor.

"Naruto, stop it!" he said, but Naruto struggled against even him, surprised when the intern ended up stronger than he appeared. He let himself settle, falling flat against the truck bed, surrendering. His breathing was still terse, and the whites of Kiba's eyes were startling in the darkness.

"They're going to think you're crazy! They already do!" he said, sounding panicked himself. "What's wrong with you? They're here to _help_ us, Goddamnit! To evacuate us!"

Naruto breathed through his nose and closed his eyes. "I don't know…" he answered. "I don't know what's wrong with me…"

They sat for a long moment and Kiba's forehead fell to rest on Naruto's chest as his grip loosened, trusting Naruto not to do anything extreme. "You just snapped," he said, sounding frightened himself.

"I'm sorry," Naruto said, not knowing if he meant it. There was something unexplainable raging through him, ever since that person had rescued him and had seared his wound closed with his bare hand.

"Where are they taking us?" Kiba asked, his voice still quiet and nervous.

Naruto let his head lull to the side as the truck rumbled on, and he shrugged. "Someplace safe, right?" His voice held sarcasm, but only for himself. He was sure Kiba would be fine. He hadn't been in contact with any of the aliens even the military seemed to fear.

"I'm scared," Kiba admitted, and it was the most masculine thing he could have admitted.

"Me too," Naruto agreed.

When there was nothing left to say, the compartment fell to silence. With nothing left to see, Naruto closed his eyes, and with the hum of the truck's engine constant in his ears, he was stolen by a dreamless sleep.

* * *

**a/n:** Different, right? I told you! This idea is gnawing at me...so much I know it will be finished after 6 or so parts. I can't stop listening to the Lord of War soundtrack, so blame that, and also more of my bizarre dreams. I can't stop with this one. You can tell because the chapters are so long. :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Slumberland**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle

**Comments:** Chapter Two! Wahoo! I decided to rewrite the second half so it took me a bit longer to post than I thought. For this, I am sorry. Thank you so very much for all of the reviews and support with this idea, and I hope I do you all proud!

Thank you for beta'ing Reyn!

* * *

**~Part Two**~

* * *

"We've stopped."

The fact Kiba was whispering meant he thought that Naruto was awake. Naruto was, but he didn't want to admit to it. The truck had stopped, and Naruto wondered if they had reached their destination, wherever it was. He had no sense of how much time had passed, but he guessed an hour. He usually wasn't able to take long naps.

"Naruto, are you awake?" Kiba sounded quiet and unnerved.

Naruto opened his eyes and saw the other man standing beside him, reaching his hand towards a spill of light invading the enclosed space from a tear in the metal. The warmth from the sun was too high for him to touch so he stepped backwards, letting the golden haze bathe a small portion of his face. Naruto watched as Kiba closed his eyes and soaked up the familiar feeling, relishing it.

"I'm awake," Naruto answered. He sat up and immediately grimaced. The metal floor had not been kind to his back and his neck felt like it had pins and needles jabbing it. He rubbed the feeling away and Kiba reached a hand down towards him; an offer to help him up. Taking it gratefully, Naruto was hoisted onto his feet, feeling a whole new pain in his legs.

"I feel like I've been rolling around on a tin roof," he said with irritation, rubbing some sensation back into his thighs. Kiba shushed him, and Naruto would have frowned if it weren't for the voices he began to hear as well. They were coming from outside, best heard through the tiny gash in the truck's siding that the sun leaked through.

Both of the men went silent, straining their ears to hear.

"…won't live, they're _sick_, all of them…"

Naruto and Kiba met eyes, and Naruto felt his shoulder tingle. The conversation outside continued, but only small bits were audible.

"…doesn't matter. Their infections will spread—" the voice was eager and angry, and abruptly cut off.

"—which is exactly why we need to keep them separated—"

There was a booming noise as the bolt to the back door unlocked, metal hissing as it was unhinged. Both Naruto and Kiba jumped back, surprised, and the fear sleep had stolen from Naruto was back ten-fold. His insides grew tense and he could feel his hands shaking as light poured into the small space.

"Don't do anything stupid," one of the guards said, and his eyes met Naruto's almost immediately. A frown smothered the officer's lips.

Something jolted through Naruto; another feeling of panic. His skin was turning clammy and he felt a fevered sort of fire sear through his veins, washing away any soreness his muscles felt. The feeling was overwhelming, demanding that he try to run again, and this time, succeed.

"Naruto…" Kiba was staring at him, his eyes wide. Naruto was sure he looked the way he had earlier, a sort of craze taking over him, a hysteria he wasn't able to explain or control. Maybe he _was_ infected. It was the only way he could explain the anxiety that coursed through his body, making his intuition weigh on him; insisting he do things; things like _run_.

Kiba was moving closer to him, looking a bit more cautious than Naruto liked. But he could see it in his friend's eyes; he didn't want either of them to get hurt. The guard had climbed inside now and was moving towards them, and Naruto turned, his eyes narrowing. They were taking each other in, wondering who would make the first move.

Naruto's feet itched and his fingers moved; tiny impulsive jolts, blood pounding from his heart to the tips of his toes and straight up to the pads of his twitching fingers. A means to escape; his body was preparing for it.

Air choked out from his lungs, a shaky exhalation that made Naruto realize just how much he was trembling. It was no wonder the officer was staring at him like he was guilty of something; he was practically rattling where he stood, so amped with the momentum to bolt that he couldn't focus on anything else.

"…nothing stupid…" the guard said under his breath, still approaching slowly. His hands were outstretched as though he was cornering a fierce little animal, one that could erupt in movement at any time. His lips had even parted a bit more, quirking as though he was ready to dive forward.

Kiba's hand wrapped around Naruto's wrist and the touch made Naruto suck in air like he had been drowning, lost in the sensations of feeling caught. The intern was yanking him forward, and Naruto saw a blur of red—blood spurting from the guard's nose as Kiba punched him hard, forcing him out of the way.

"_Run_!" Kiba yelled and Naruto felt his body obey faster than his brain. Kiba took a flying leap from the back of the truck, successfully vaulting over a couple guards waiting outside. Naruto tumbled out behind him, his heart racing and limbs tingling. A rough hand grabbed his shoulder, hard enough to make him cry out. He spun around and clawed out, smacking the officer in the face.

The hold on his shoulder was gone and so he tore himself forward, away from another grasping hand that briefly touched his jeans. He stumbled forward and felt his breath grow thick in his lungs, searching through the scrambling chaos of bodies before him for Kiba.

"Naruto--!"

Naruto looked up and saw him. He was far ahead; too far. Kiba was fast runner and Naruto had to squint his eyes to focus on his figure in the distance. The sun's warmth was so blistering that the intern was blurred by waves of heat rising from the pavement, looking much like a hazy oasis in a desert.

Something stung Naruto's leg and he looked down, feeling a bit nauseas at the sight he beheld. A guard on the ground had jammed a syringe into his calf, and suddenly, his entire body burned.

"Naruto!" Kiba was screaming, and Naruto looked back up to his friend, reading his indecision. If Kiba were to turn away and run as fast as he could into the greenery behind him, he would be fine. But the intern's feet were planted to the ground, his eyes wild and raging, stuck between saving himself and staying behind.

"…run …" Naruto mouthed. He could feel spit bubbling in his mouth as his nerves began to numb, the sedative taking over his body. He attempted a step forward but the movement was disoriented, and his knees were about to buckle.

Pooling together what he could of his strength, Naruto growled from the top of his lungs. "Stop standing there and run, you idiot!"

He collapsed to his knees and a guard was already walking past him. It was like slow motion. The man swept by like a ghost, and Kiba, a small and sweltering blur of pink flesh in the distance, wasn't moving at all. Naruto felt hands on him, restraining him, and he struggled futilely against them.

"_Run damn you!"_ Naruto screamed, and a hand clamped over his mouth as tears stained what was left of his vision. At once, Kiba's figure disappeared, like a balloon lost to the sky; Naruto watched through strained tears as his comrade disappeared into the trees behind him, escaped, free, and _safe._

After that, everything fell apart.

Naruto couldn't see clearly, and his thoughts were jumbled. It was the feeling of being caught between dreams and reality, with giant faceless monsters with red glowing eyes chasing him through ageless forests smothered in dead trees, their skeletal branches fighting to snatch the moon from the sky.

His head was aching so badly that the agonizing sensation ripped him from his drug-induced frenzy to a room the complete opposite of his dreams. It was white and sterile, with blazing florescent lights and a stucco ceiling that reminded Naruto of fresh cottage cheese.

A haze of grey took the shape of a table beside his bed as his eyes focused on the things closer to him. He saw a nurse standing at the foot of the bed; a middle-aged blonde with a generic lab-coat and ruby red lips. Her eyes were blue and serious, and though Naruto didn't understand why, she looked very concerned.

"How are you feeling?"

Naruto didn't answer. He kept his mouth closed and stared at her, his head still pounding as blood rushed through is body anew.

The woman looked struck between being irritated and upset, but instead of acting on either, she merely repeated her question.

"How are you feeling?"

Naruto still didn't speak. His throat felt dry and there was a strange smell in his nose, like chloroform or formaldehyde, or something painstakingly sterile and starchy. He noticed that he was warm, bundled in blankets, and he heard the gentle lull of an EKG machine. He whipped is head towards it, relieved to see it was not connected to him, but someone else hidden behind a curtain. Whoever it was groaned, and the sound was morbid and grotesque.

"You should have a headache," the woman was saying, and she held out two red pills and a small cup of water. Naruto didn't trust her, so he didn't take them. He did shuffle to sit up however, effectively pushing her hand out of his way.

"Do you know where you are?" the woman asked, raising an eyebrow at him. Her nerves were getting ruffled, and it was evident in her tone. Naruto stared at her, and when he finally answered, his voice was thick and chalky.

"A place I do not want to be."

His answer seemed to catch the woman off guard, but she managed to smile impassively despite. She tried handing him the pills again, but he ignored them, even though the blood thumping against his temples made him grimace. His body wasn't aching like he half expected it to be, and to his surprise, his shredded work clothes no longer existed. Except for the white heated blankets piled on top of him, he was wearing only a thin hospital gown.

He looked up to the woman viciously, almost seething. "I am _not_ infected."

The woman retracted the pills finally, and set them and their cup counterpart on the metal table beside Naruto's bed. She looked at him, her eyes narrowed and her lips turned downwards in a frown.

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

Naruto snarled, "You know damn well. _Them_. I am _not_ infected!"

The whole room went silent and even the groaning from the curtain beyond had quieted with his outburst.

"It takes days, even weeks to know for sure." She said matter-of-factly. "Besides, no one even knows what kind of contact you've had apart from that pretty little scar on your arm."

Naruto had almost forgotten about it. He nearly ripped back his sleeve to get a good look at the swirl that decorated his skin, sucking in a breath when he saw how red it had become. It looked more like a healing burn now, and his skin was beginning to warp around it. It didn't hurt at all.

"This isn't a nice place," the woman was saying. Her frame was too perfect for someone of science, but Naruto wondered what stereotype led him to that conclusion. Her words were as threatening as her lips were red. "Cooperation will help you see the better side of it."

Naruto stared at her, feeling his heart pound against his chest. He didn't want to cooperate. Not in some military hospital where he was being held captive against his will. Not where had had to talk about what he had seen; not where he had to reveal anything about the thing that had saved his life. It felt dishonest.

"How did you get that mark?" the woman asked and her eyes bore holes through him. Naruto simply stared at her; he didn't say anything.

The woman stared at him and her expression darkened, making her disposition grow cold and pitiable. "Alright. It's your choice."

That being said she left the room through a small door on a plain white wall opposite Naruto's bed, not another word from her mouth. Naruto jumped up to follow her, nearly tripping over his tired legs as he struggled free from his blankets. The door was locked, however, and there was no window for him to peer out and gage his surroundings.

The person from next to him groaned; it was a hoarse sound that ate away the serenity of the stale room and made Naruto's skin crawl.

"You should tell them," the voice said, and Naruto collapsed against the door, burying his face in his hands. There was a pregnant pause before the hidden patient let out a small cackle.

"Whatever they are, they can't get to us here."

The man spoke as though Naruto was afraid of them. It wasn't fear that inspired his silence however, it was conviction. As much as he felt alone and cornered, he also felt like he had something to protect.

Naruto sat quietly, until he was sure that the other patient had given up on speaking to him. The scar on his shoulder turned white as he absently traced it, trying to distract himself from the anxiety churning in his gut. It was a feeling he couldn't quite get used to.

He remembered the enormous ship in the sky, groaning as it slid below the cloud cover, skidding across the atmosphere with a technological grace Naruto had never known. He recalled the city bathed in sudden light, darkness washed away like dirt caked on unblemished hands. He felt the same tug he had felt then, like an invisible rope lassoing him closer, begging him not to leave.

His heart started racing at the memories. Every detail of the ship he had seen, every detail of the face of the person that had saved him. Too beautiful to be human, but human to any eye. Ivory skin, so smooth it looked porcelain and soft, like a child's. A slender nose that fell above thin lips, parting and folding together to create that language, those words…

"_Eesshiao-anomona…"_

Naruto felt his lips ghosting the words. They were like nothing he had ever heard. He was a translator, and he knew four languages. Latin was what he was best at—the grandparent of all European tongues. But he couldn't compare this language to anything he had learned in college. Not to mention, it didn't sound like any language he had heard before.

What had he been told at that time? To hold still? That cauterizing the wound would hurt? Or maybe something completely unrelated that Naruto couldn't even begin to guess. Was it a name? Did these aliens even have names?

Naruto's lips moved again, the words forming on his tongue. "Eesshiao-anomona." He said it slowly, piecing his way through each vowel, stressing the part that had been emphasized to him.

The phrase had been something kind; he knew that much. It was something to calm him, something to keep him unafraid. Naruto remembered now, how frightened he was, his head turned away as the burning sensation bubbled over his skin. He wondered what the alien had been thinking then; why save him at all? And to leave so quickly?

The military.

Naruto felt the realization sweep over him.

It had to of known. Not minutes later the stairwell had been packed with people descending the stairs, headed by that disturbing sergeant with the icy glare. Even the memory of that face sent chills down Naruto's spine, but so did this place. Glancing up, Naruto wondered how long he would be here, trapped and unwilling to speak against the thing that had saved his life.

Was his experience worth admitting to these people?

Naruto bit his lip. This place wasn't safe. The warmth from the blankets had long since left, and now there was only cold. His cotton gown did nothing to help, and the sterility of the room only made him feel more unwelcome. He doubted he was supposed to feel comfortable. He was a guinea pig or a mouse—something that had answers that the military couldn't seem to find elsewhere.

He pulled his knees to his chest and felt himself start to shake, that nervous tremble taking over again. He heard scuffling outside of the door and it opened, revealing the woman and a military officer.

Naruto was quick to his feet, his eyes darting back and forth between the two, hearing the door click locked behind them. He stepped back, his adrenaline racing with panic and entrapment, his gut churning as the general—as was labeled by a pin on his coat—stared down at him.

"This is him," the woman said shortly, and Naruto looked at her for only an instant before turning his attention back to the disinterested man before him. He didn't look impressed.

"Do you know why you're here?" the question was asked so casually that Naruto was taken aback. Wondering if the officer was attempting to lead him into a false sense of security, he frowned.

"Let me go," he demanded. The general looked surprised at the confidence behind the request but managed to retain his passive stance on the opposite side of the room.

"Can you hold him?" the general queried the nurse, and Naruto wasn't quiet sure how the woman managed to obey. But she had come behind him somehow, her hands holding Naruto's so tightly behind his back that he couldn't find a way to move without a sharp pain shooting up into his skull.

The general repeated his question, but this time added, "Defending them makes no sense. Are you afraid of them?"

Naruto didn't say anything, only continued to glare. It must have been an interesting expression, because the general stepped closer and let his fingers roam a tray of medical instruments. Retractors, a scalpel, packaged alcoholic wipes…and a syringe. The officer picked it up, looking surprised to find that it already had fluid inside.

"You're not afraid of them?" he asked, his eyes swallowing Naruto's from beside the needle he held between them. When he didn't answer right away, the general took one step closer, bringing the two of them nearly nose-to-nose.

Finally, Naruto shook his head to answer, but he was distracted when the syringe fell lower; nearer to his stomach. The close proximity of the needle to his gown made Naruto's heart rate speed up again, and even the nurse sounded apprehensive.

"General Nara," she said coldly, almost as though in warning. The guard spurted a bit of the fluid onto Naruto's gown before raising it to his eye level, examining it with little vested interest. His attention returned to Naruto.

"Is that it? You're afraid?"

"I'm not afraid," Naruto answered thickly. "Of _them,_ anyhow."

He stared the general straight in the eye, thinking that for a moment, he and the alien looked similar. Pale skin, blemishless Asian complexion, glassy eyes that looked altogether too serious. But the person in front of Naruto was definitely human.

"Or maybe you're just afraid of this place," a squirt from the syringe seemed to be the perfect emphasis to his comment. "I wouldn't blame you for that one."

It was interesting, because Naruto felt it suddenly—the fear he had was draining. The person in front of him was smart. Holding the needle so close to him was a method—but not a means to an end. The officer himself even looked bored with the idea of scaring Naruto into a revelation, and without knowing why, he couldn't help but speak.

"One of them protected me," Naruto said quickly. "I won't sell out something that saved my life."

The comment brought a strange expression to the general's face, and Naruto heard the sharp intake of breath from the woman behind him. The grip on his arms loosened, and taking the opportunity to jump away from the two, Naruto did just that. He planted himself against a wall opposite from them, looking much like a cornered animal ready to pounce.

"It…_saved_ you?" the woman was staring in disbelief. Naruto turned his attention to the general and noticed that he was, too.

"That's all that I'm saying to either of you," Naruto said, but there was a screeching sound that made Naruto whip his head around towards the door. Something crashed outside; the sound of something wild thrashing about. There was screaming and before Naruto could gage what was happening the general was shoving him back and yanking open the door.

The woman let out a yelp from across the room, and Naruto felt his breath catch in his throat.

It was one of them.

It was tall and awkward, it's skin pallid and its eyes untamed. It looked like something escaped, something angry, and something thirsty for something Naruto couldn't name. Blood? Revenge?

Sergeant Nara was already moving into the hallway when the woman yelled, "Shikamaru—be careful!"

Naruto glanced to her, back hunched against the wall, her slender frame inching towards the curtain of the patient sharing the room. Naruto was propping the door open with his body, watching as the thing lumbered down the hall, looking less like a human and more like an emaciated skeleton of a being, angry and fang-bearing.

It screamed again, and Naruto spun around as he heard the woman doctor let out a yelp, tripping over the table and tearing the curtain down by accident. Naruto's eyes widened at the other patient. There was hardly anything left to call a body.

Face curling in terror Naruto stumbled out of the door, reeling back when the sergeant named Shikamaru slammed him against the wall protectively. "Don't you _dare_ go off on your own!" he warned, and Naruto looked past him at the creature.

"What's going on?" Naruto asked, and he took in his surroundings as the other man bit out a response.

"Obviously, it escaped."

They were in a hallway that reminded Naruto of the inner-city hospitals he hated. The hall opposite the alien was speckled with bodies crumpled to the floor, victims of the raging beast. A few officers were planted against the sidelong walls, threatening to shoot. The tension was driving the thing mad, and it crashed through doorways, looking more and more disappointed with whatever it _wasn't_ finding.

Was it looking for something?

Naruto felt calm and it was strange. It was speaking in that beautiful language, but its tone was infuriated. Officers were shouting crude things at it and to each other. A gun fired, piercing the ceiling. Someone yelled that the 'thing' was still alive—and it wasn't just a _thing_, it was smart. As smart as a human; and just as resourceful as one that had been trapped and drugged, which Naruto was sure was the case.

"_Eesshiao-anomona…" _I won't hurt you.

A light bulb went off in Naruto's mind and suddenly he knew what it meant.

He ducked out from behind Shikamaru and dodged forward, ignoring the vicious barks and demands of the chaotic military personnel around him. The being turned, its eyes black and glossy, it's expression waning on the urge to snap Naruto to pieces or examine him with an amused curiosity.

Naruto held up his hands and said the only words he knew in their language, as careful as a translator could. "Eesshiao-anomona."

The alien had been ready to smack him, ready to scream and take one more life it didn't care to spare. But it stopped and stared at him, and Naruto, shaking a bit now that he was so close, repeated what he had said with a stronger voice. "Eesshiao-anomona."

He and the creature met eyes, and it stared at him cautiously. The look faded as its eyes fell to Naruto's shoulder, and the mark burned. Naruto broke eye contact with the creature, realizing how silent the hallway had become. Everyone seemed to be paralyzed and confused, and Naruto had every intention to take advantage of it. He had to figure out what it was the alien wanted…

He felt like an idiot. An escape, of course.

Naruto stared down to the end of the hall and saw light from behind the farthest door. Willing to take his chances with his own race, Naruto grabbed the alien's hand and pulled it forward. It didn't move with him, and thus he was yanked back. Naruto whipped around and stared at it. "Come _on_!"

He pulled it again, ignoring the speculative glance it was giving him, but slowly moved forward. The military personnel were so overwhelmed by shock that none of them moved; they only watched in fear as Naruto led the creature away from the people that needed medical attention, not quite realizing what Naruto was attempting to do.

So he moved faster, wanting to free the thing behind him as fast as humanly possible. The cool metal handle of the door met his hand and his body slammed against the door, tearing it open. Sunlight bathed his skin and it felt like rebirth, and he spun around, letting go of the creature's hand.

"Go," Naruto said loudly. "Go!"

It looked at him, confused, something akin to gratitude in its eyes. Also bewilderment; a lingering gaze on the mark decorating Naruto's arm. The door behind Naruto burst open and a hand yanked him backwards; it was Shikamaru.

"What on earth—"

But the alien was already gone, disappeared, too fast to be seen. Naruto turned to Shikamaru and knew his eyes were begging for the other man to understand. Shikamaru's lips parted; only there was nothing for him to say. People from within the building poured out and Naruto realized he was being watched, and again the feeling that made him nervous returned.

Shikamaru stayed close to him and sirens blared, and Naruto realized that he had done something worse than withhold information from the facility. In their eyes he had become an enemy, or something foreign and feared, something that _knew_ their language. Somehow he had become one of the aliens; he could tell by the way the workers of the facility watched him, nervous, amazed, and above that, furious.

"Do you know what you just did?" One man asked. He was a huge form in front of Naruto, his shadow stretching as thick as the bulk of an aged oak tree. His eyes were wild with disbelief and suspicion laced his anger.

"I did what was right," Naruto said, his voice full of venom.

The officer's eyes narrowed to the point that they may no have been open at all, and the sneer that encompassed his mouth was enough for Naruto to feel warned. He stepped backwards and Shikamaru's fingers curled around his arm, and oddly enough, he felt protected.

"Watch it," he heard the general say, but Naruto wasn't sure if the comment was meant for him. The officer that was staring holes into him grunted and bit his tongue, obviously doing his best not to speak out. Naruto figured that Shikamaru was his senior, and was suddenly grateful that he had such a defense.

"Come on," Shikamaru said, and before Naruto knew it the grasp on his arm was too tight as he was being dragged back into the brightly lit halls of the facility. His eyes stung under the sharp florescent lights and he found himself stumbling to keep up, the tiled floor icy cold beneath his bare feet.

It was funny how he hadn't noticed that before.

"Where are we—" he started, but the general shushed him and proceeded to walk faster. Naruto glanced back, noting how the other personnel from the halls were watching him like he was something to be ostracized. Their stares were threatening; in fact, that's exactly what he felt. Danger.

If he had been in any sort of peril when he had first arrived, what he had just done had definitely made things worse. He had helped one of the creatures escape and betrayed the military—his own kind—in an effort to do it. He had somehow made himself to look like an enemy, even if his gut told him he had done he right thing.

A harsh tug to the right had him in a nearly empty room, complete with a metal table, a chair, and a glass of water that was half empty. Whoever had been inside had probably rushed out to gage the commotion, distracted from whatever it was they had been doing. Shikamaru slammed the door shut and turned to face Naruto with an expression that rivaled infuriation.

"Tell me what you know." It wasn't a request, it was a demand.

Naruto slunk back against the door and stared at the general, his emotions clouded. He wasn't sure where to start; in fact, he wanted to hold true and not admit to anything at all. But at this point in time, he wasn't sure if it was a wise idea to keep things hidden. He felt a strange sort of draw to the man in front of him, but even so, there was something gnawing inside of him, begging him not to tell.

"I told you, one _saved_ me—"

"I don't care if one asked you to marry it," Shikamaru bit out. He slammed his fist onto the table and a stinging noise erupted from it, making Naruto jump. While Naruto knew that Shikamaru wouldn't harm him, he felt his anger like a tidal wave of emotion, pooling in the room like a flood. "Tell me what you know."

Naruto stared silently before he collapsed backwards a bit, looking like a child caught with their hand in a cookie jar. The general continued to look daggers at him and it was obvious that he had no intention of letting Naruto leave the small room until _something_ was said.

"Are you one of them? Do you know what they want? Are you dangerous? That's what everyone out there is thinking right now," Shikamaru almost snarled. He began to pace a small portion of the room and Naruto watched his expression grow even dimmer. "Do you want to be trapped here forever? Do you even know what 'here' is? Do you know what they do to people like you?"

"What 'people like me'?" Naruto said suddenly, that comment catching his attention. The man standing across from him struggled to keep his cool disposition.

"People who lie, people who know things, people who might be _infected_," he answered.

Naruto unconsciously covered his wound with his free hand. "I'm not infected…"

Even though he had been denying it, there was no argument that something inside of him had changed. It was as though his intuition had magnified and like he couldn't control his emotions; he had feelings about things before he even knew what they were, and about people too.

Shikamaru looked at him, something akin to deviance affecting his expression. It changed though, when he spoke. "Should I tell you? What happens to the people that are infected?"

Naruto watched him warily, unsure of how he wanted to answer. Shikamaru raised an eyebrow and looked premeditative. "I could tell you anything and you'd believe me."

Naruto shook his head. "You won't lie to me," he answered, sure of it.

The general narrowed his eyes, but after a moment, they relaxed. Naruto had been right. No matter how threatening the general was, he was honest. How Naruto knew this, he wasn't quite sure.

"Their blood, it can be like poison," Shikamaru said. "Sometimes it mixes with human blood and things get confusing."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Confusing?"

Shikamaru seemed to calm a bit, and he fell into a chair next to the metal table. His elbow came to rest on the cool surface and he looked every bit the part of a young person put through too much stress; someone who had seen too much for their age. Someone like Naruto.

"They're blood is perfect…" Shikamaru seemed to be searching for the right words. "They say that it's exactly like ours, but without defect. No sicknesses, no virus strains, and hardly anything that implies that they even age. The few people that have been infected—that have come into contact with their blood—they've become almost superhuman."

Naruto stared at Shikamaru, wondering if his intuition had been false. Maybe the general was a practical joker after all. "Are you lying to me?"

Shikamaru frowned and looked at him, very serious. "Why would I make up such a ridiculous story?" he shook is head, looking confused and embarrassed to have said such a thing with such a solemn tone. "Not all bodies seem to be able to handle the change…"

Naruto remembered the man he had been sharing a room with.

Naruto pursed his lips; he also remembered what he had heard in the bed of the semi, along with Kiba. He tried to recall the exact words. "_They're all going to die, their infections will spread…_' I heard them say that," he said, and Shikamaru raised an eyebrow.

"Heard who?"

"I don't know. People from here, when I first arrived. Who? Who's going to die?" he felt panicked and confused, wondering what exactly he had heard. The general looked a bit skeptical, but let out a sigh.

"They may have been taking about _them_. The aliens. Some of them aren't doing so well here; they're sick, like that one you just set free."

Naruto wondered why that could be, and he couldn't help but shake War of the Worlds from his head. If their blood was perfect, they certainly weren't catching any colds.

There was a brief period of silence and Naruto walked over to the table, feeling more vulnerable as Shikamaru's eyes searched him for something, _anything_, any bit of information he would give.

Naruto sighed, giving in. "There are two of them," he said, and Shikamaru looked up, surprised.

"Two? Of what?" his eyes had lit up and he soaked up Naruto's every word.

Naruto took a calculated breath. His gut was telling him to trust this person.

"Two of the…aliens." The word felt childish on his lips, even if it had formed so effortlessly on Shikamaru's. "I was at work when the ship shadowed the city. The power went out, and everything was dark. Pitch black. I saw flares outside with shadows in them, and was told that those were their capsules, falling from the sky…" Naruto felt his mind slip back to that time.

"There was one on the outside of the window, staring at me, holding onto the window somehow. It broke in. It tried to kill me, but I ran," he remembered. He could still feel the stairs beneath his feet and hear the door tearing from it's hinges behind him.

Shikamaru listened quietly, and Naruto continued.

"I wasn't paying attention to where I was going—I should have seen him, but I didn't," he explained and he looked the general straight in the eye. "He grabbed me and protected me, and with one finger…he killed it. The thing chasing me; it was dead."

Naruto was silent as he remembered the feel of the slender arm around his waist, the leather overcoat against his skin. He could still hear the bones snapping apart behind him and a sound like potatoes falling to the ground and rolling about; that carcass falling to the ground.

"What do you mean? He punched it?" Shikamaru was trying to wrap his mind around the concept. Naruto considered how the story must have sounded, and in all honesty, anyone outside of the situation would have looked at him like he was crazy. He shook his head.

"He didn't touch him. I couldn't really see. But his arm was raised, and it was like the other one broke apart from the inside. I…collapsed then. I had a piece of glass stuck in my arm; I was bleeding pretty badly. The good one…it told me that. _Eesshiao-anomona_. I didn't know what it meant, but I felt relaxed, and it healed me…"

Naruto showed his arm to Shikamaru, who looked at it now like it was something different than before. Something amazing and perplexing, and far from dangerous. It was something precious, because the aliens that everyone seemed to fear had given it as a gift, in a way.

"What happened next?" Shikamaru asked, and Naruto looked a bit bewildered.

"I don't know. It left. The building was being evacuated from above, so I think…maybe he was trying to get away? It was only a couple minutes later that people came from upstairs, and they saw the body…and me…" Naruto looked Shikamaru straight in the eye. "The military personnel. I don't trust them. I get these feelings now; they're overwhelming. Like I know things that I shouldn't; like I know who to trust, and who to fear…"

Shikamaru watched him, and Naruto felt his palms grow sweaty. He swallowed a lump in his throat, and the general eyed him, an eyebrow raised. "You trust me?"

Naruto nodded without hesitation. "You're good. You're honest. You'd protect me; you already have. We're alike somehow. You don't look at me like the others do. For some reason, you see _me_ and you hear what I'm saying…and you're not afraid of it."

Shikamaru was more aware of him now. There was an aura about him that made Naruto feel like he was slowly beginning to understand, at least as much as he could. After a quiet moment between them, Shikamaru spoke.

"So, there are two. The one that chased you and the one that saved you," he said. "How were they different?"

Naruto tried to remember. He couldn't recall much about the enemy alien; most of his thoughts were of it's decrepit body bent at odd shapes at the bottom of the stairwell.

"They're not different, in appearance," Naruto scrunched his eyes closed, trying to remember. "Its how they _feel_. The one that chased me…it was so angry; I knew it wanted to kill me. The other…it felt safe. I just wasn't afraid anymore."

General Nara nodded and folded his hands together, intertwining his fingers to create a steeple beneath his chin. "I've never heard anything like that."

Naruto figured as much. Everyone at the facility seemed overwhelmed with fear and anxiety. Those emotions led to jumping to conclusions, and Naruto was positive that unless the government had known something about whatever was going on previously, there wouldn't be such a widespread panic.

There was a knock on the door and both of the men jumped. Naruto felt his heart begin to race, and his blood begin to boil again as Shikamaru stood up, aiming to answer it.

"I feel it again," Naruto said. "That intuition. Whatever is outside of that door isn't good, and the feeling is scaring me."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow at him before turning to look at the handle, debating on answering it. After a minute, he asked, "Who is it?"

There were some muffled movements and a thick voice sounded. "General Nara, are you in there?"

Naruto felt his skin crawl at the tone, but Shikamaru let out a sigh. "It's just the lower division," he said, and he opened the door. Naruto didn't have the chance to tell him not to.

The division entered, nearly pushing Shikamaru out of they way, shoving him against the wall. They were all staring at Naruto, greedy with some unknown emotion. From behind them, Shikamaru looked livid.

"Excuse me, but this wing is under _my_ jurisdiction," he stated. He attempted to move forward, but one of the men stepped in front of him, blocking his path.

"That may be true, General Nara, but this man is property of military investigations now," he said, and Naruto watched Shikamaru's eyes widen and then dissolve to slits.

"He is innocent of aforementioned crimes and should be absolved," he directed, and the man blocking him smirked.

"Oh? Does that mean he's talked?"

Naruto felt it, that inevitable and unresolved tension in his gut. The men before him were horrid and pretentious, and they looked at him like they wanted to hurt him; they wanted to do things to him to _make_ him admit what he knew. He could feel it; they hated him. They hated him because of their fear, and Naruto felt his breathing come out in sharp little bursts.

"Look, he's getting ready to run," one said, and Naruto looked up, confused. He hadn't moved an inch. But that was the point; they needed an excuse to be rough with him. One of the men grabbed his arms and pulled them tight behind his back. Naruto let out a small grunt of pain. He tried to yank himself forward, to loose himself from the grasp, but it was a lost cause.

"Where are you taking him?" Shikamaru demanded to know, and the officer snorted.

"A place where he can be better supervised," he spat, and Naruto could read from Shikamaru's face that he knew exactly where they meant. And whatever the place was, it wasn't good.

"Who made that decision?" he asked, looking between the four men that had entered. None of them felled compelled to answer, but when Shikamaru parted his lips to demand one, he man in front of him irritably responded.

"The facility head," he snorted. "Danzo."

Shikamaru looked as confused as Naruto felt, and they met eyes. The moment between them was short lived as Naruto was jostled forward, past the general and out into the hall. Naruto twisted his head to see Shikamaru's face, amazed to see someone so calm and intelligent so overwhelmed.

"There are two kinds," Naruto yelled to him. "Remember that!"

Naruto saw Shikamaru's face rise and his head bob as he hesitantly nodded to him. A hand cupped tightly around his mouth.

"Keep your mouth shut," was the icy command, and Naruto debated on biting the skin against his lips. He would have, if he had a place to go, and if he didn't have four of those brute soldiers surrounding him.

He was swallowed by apprehension yet again, especially when he was yanked out of the facility and into the sun, the sky now fading color in favor of dusk. It was hot outside, and muggy, and even though Naruto was still only wearing the ridiculous little medical robe, sweat prickled his skin.

He could hear his staggered breath loud against the hand on his mouth, and his feet burned on the smoldering pavement outside. The scolding pain made his eyes water and his nerves shoot bursts of tingles up his legs, and the man holding him from behind did nothing to hurry their movements.

Luckily, they didn't walk far; there was another transport vehicle parked not too far ahead, and somehow, Naruto knew he was destined for it.

"Where am I going?" Naruto inhaled as soon as the fingers left his lips, their cold clasp on his face gone. The men ignored him and to his surprise, brought him to the front of the truck and yanked open the passenger side door.

"Get in."

Naruto looked at the seat and then back to the officer. The burly man looked agitated.

"Don't worry. You won't escape because the driver has been given permission to use any means to subdue you." His comment seemed to be amplified with the fact Naruto's hands were suddenly cuffed behind him. After that he was mercilessly hoisted in, and after collapsing into a disorganized pile onto the seat, the door slammed shut behind him.

He struggled to a sitting position, the heat manifesting around quickly becoming too much to bear. His forehead was already dripping with perspiration, and the air he sucked in was hot. He tried to use the dampness on his wrists to slide his hands from their bonds, but the metal had been pulled too tight. He sat back against the leather seat, which was like hot coal against him, and the skin of his thighs stuck to the material like a hot glue had been slathered between them.

It was too quiet.

Where was the driver?

That question repeated itself over and over inside his head, with every breath he took. The compartment was stale and oppressive, and his flesh was pruning and clammy. He sucked in another round of air but it felt too thick. The base of his neck was starting to feel heavy, a heat-induced sleep urging him to close his eyes. Sweat ran like rivulets down his back, dripping from his bare skin.

"Damnit," he mumbled, closing is eyes in an attempt to focus. It had probably been some ridiculous vengeance that inspired the officers to put him in front instead of the back, no windows cracked or air conditioning to aid against the heat. His entire being felt numb and his throat was starting to feel tight and he wondered if he would suffocate—if after everything he had been through, heat stroke would be the end of him.

He was about to lose it when a gust of warm air—though significantly cooler than the current atmosphere—swept over him. He gulped down the air like he had never tasted something so rich, and turned his head to the side, meeting eyes with the man that was presumably his driver.

Or, more rather, meeting 'eye'.

The man had graying hair, even though he couldn't have been older than thirty, and a patch pulled tightly over his left eye. He climbed in and pulled his door closed, and made Naruto raise an eyebrow at him with the first word that left his mouth.

"Yo."

Naruto didn't say anything. He just watched him, wishing he felt something more than anxiety. The truck started and in minutes, they were leaving the giant lot of the complex. Naruto continued to watch the driver, suspicious, all until the man finally let out a long sigh.

"You're making me nervous," he said, and he flashed Naruto a reprimanding look with his good eye. Naruto felt slightly put off.

"Who are you?" he wasn't sure why exactly those words left his mouth, but they were the right ones. He didn't feel anything towards this man; nothing good, nothing bad. It was almost as though he was a typical guy, only he was wearing the uniform of the men Naruto couldn't stand to trust at all.

The man frowned, and leaned forward to turn the air conditioning higher. "No one you need to be so scared of," he answered.

Naruto did feel frightened though, because he didn't feel _anything._

"I'm on your side, really," the driver said. "My name is Kakashi."

Naruto still didn't say anything and he felt himself edging towards the door, crushing himself against it. Getting as far as possible from the man seated only feet from him. It didn't seem like Kakashi was an enemy, but these days it was becoming difficult to tell.

"The one that healed you must have really liked you," the driver went on. He turned a corner and they were suddenly entering a freeway, and Naruto looked at his arm, the mark still pink on its surface.

"How do you—"

"Know? That whole facility knows. Well, they don't know it healed you, but then again, what else would it mean?" This time he did pass a cynical glance Naruto's way. "That one of them decided to try arts and crafts on your shoulder?"

Naruto felt the mark tingle and he clasped a hand over it, an action that drew Kakashi's attention once again. "What does it feel like?"

Naruto gave him a skeptical look. After a minute, he answered. "It tickles, a bit."

The driver nodded and let out a sigh. "I thought so."

Naruto's cheek smashed against the passenger door window as Kakashi made a quick exit, driving the monstrous vehicle up a dirt road. So few of them existed anymore that Naruto wasn't used to the bumbling sensation and his legs went numb. He turned to glare at Kakashi but the man was already speaking again.

"It'll do that, you know. When he's calling you."

Naruto was beginning to think this man was crazy.

"What are you talking about?"

Kakashi started the truck down a long and abandoned road, his expression unchanging. "You're connected with him. That's how it works. How it worked for me."

Naruto's eyes widened and he couldn't help but allow his lips to part. "What do you—"

"Hopefully yours will have a bit more luck," Kakashi's smile was sad as he cut Naruto off. "I'm taking you back to the city."

It was such a curt change in conversation that Naruto had to stop himself and think for a moment, his attention drifting from what 'connection' Kakashi was referring to why they were headed back to the place where everything had begun.

"Is that where they want you to take me?" he asked slowly, thinking about the military personnel that had sent the truck on its way. If Kakashi answered yes, he was going to have to start thinking of a way to escape.

"It depends on who you mean," was what the older man said instead, and the narrow road curved to meet a highway, one that reminded Naruto of a rainbow. It was narrow and arched and at its foot was the vacant city, cold and dark without mainstream traffic and street-walkers to liven it. "If you meant the military, then no."

Naruto scooted closer to the door on his side, straining himself in an effort to not let his discomfort show. "Then…who? The aliens?"

He was beginning to think he should escape anyway.

Kakashi snorted. "Yes. The _aliens_ as you so delicately put it."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "What _else_ would they be?"

The driver was silent for a good minute before he spoke, his tone turning condescending. "If I were you, I would invest in reading a book or two. History works wonders in reference to the marvels of the future."

Naruto had nothing to say to that. If anything, he was more convinced that he was in a vehicle with a lunatic, and not just any lunatic, one that was well read. And as much as he valued the free ride to the city (he had every intention of finding the being that had saved him) he was starting to realize he valued his sanity (and possibly life) a bit more.

"I would like you to let me out here, please," he said, staring directly ahead, the city much closer than it had been the last time he had looked. He was completely serious, too. He could walk the rest of the way and be perfectly content with his own company and no one else's.

The laugh that came in response was like nothing Naruto expected. He turned his head to get a good view of the man seated beside him and was even more surprised when Kakashi looked even more serious than he himself felt. "No can do, kiddo. If you got captured again, it'd be chaos all over."

Frowning, Naruto replied, "Why? Because of this?" He deftly rubbed his arm above the mark that had settled there. It felt like sore skin now, instead of something alive. "It's just a scar, isn't it?" He himself didn't believe those words, but he was hoping if he sounded disbelieving it would be enough to get Kakashi to let him go.

"Is it?" Kakashi wasn't necessarily asking a question. If he was, his tone hinted it to be rhetorical. He looked thoughtful before he spoke again.

"It's a crest. A mark of ownership. Even if humans don't understand what is happening, they're still smart enough to connect the dots." He pointed to the ship, still hovering high above the tallest skyscrapers, and Naruto glanced up to where Kakashi was pointing.

He hadn't noticed it before, and now, he felt like an idiot for it. There were two large symbols on a lower extension of jutted metal; one that reminded Naruto of a leaf, and another that swirled around to create an intricate spiral; a design that was a replica of the scar on his shoulder.

His tongue moved to form a single word. "Ownership…?"

Was that it? He felt this way because somehow he _belonged_ to the being that had saved him? He owed it something now?

"Few people get the opportunity to become a part of this," Kakashi said dully. "It's not my place to give you all of the answers."

And that was that. The ride turned silent and whenever Naruto felt the urge to ask something, he bit his tongue. He felt like a child, questions collecting in the forefront of his mind, only he was without the courage to actually voice them. If it wasn't Kakashi's place to fill him in, whose was it?

The highway dipped underneath a larger freeway and the quick bout of shade jerked Naruto from his thoughts. His eyes, which had been glued to his own window in a contemplative rebellion, now drifted forward to see the city much larger on the horizon.

He felt his palms turn sweaty as he took in the massive entirety of the ship as they traveled closer. It was looking more like how he remembered it; like a curved chunk of metal swallowing vines and extrusions that dangled from below. His eyes grabbed at the one symbol he recognized, the one that matched the mark on his shoulder, and he tried once again to make some sense of it.

When he couldn't, he just let his vision drift further, latching on to something else he hadn't before seen on the craft. Like the large panels of black that glittered against the sun's eerie glare from the ship's uppermost decks. He wondered if it was solar powered but shrugged that idea away, seeing as to it had managed to stay afloat during the night.

It was simply like nothing he had ever seen, and even in his mind, no words could pool together to describe it. He wondered if he could remember each lingering detail if he concentrated hard enough, afraid that like everything in life, the days would swallow up this moment until it became nothing more than a hazy memory.

The thought frightened him and made him uneasy. Kakashi himself had said that he had become a _part_ of this, whatever _this_ was. But he wanted it now that he wasn't afraid. He was confused, but not even that uncertainty could ebb away the draw he felt. A feeling that sat in the pit of his stomach, like butterflies tumbling around one and other, turning to an incomparable energy that made the hairs on his arms stand straight and his whole being feel drugged.

He _knew_ this.

How?

There was no reason he would. He didn't even like science fiction movies and could only remember one book in high school he'd been made to read. His imagination had never been that great, and he couldn't remember one video game that even came close to alluding to anything he saw in front of him at the moment.

No, this was something different. Something that the mark was doing to him. It was tugging him in all sorts of different directions, making his thoughts run rampant and his sense of self feel muddled. He _knew_ this.

What did that mean?

He blinked when the under-hangings of the ship disappeared above the tinted strip of the truck's windshield. He was griping the seat beneath him with such a force that his knuckles had turned white.

"Calm down," Kakashi advised. "We'll see them tonight."

Naruto wasn't sure how to answer, because he couldn't quite peg what he felt so anxious about. It was the same feeling he remembered getting while taking tests in college, the answer being on the tip of his tongue but not complete. The same feeling of that tin hint eating away at his mind—and the harder he tried to remember it's whole, the more he felt even that tiny hint fading, like it never even existed at all.

"Where are they?" Naruto wasn't happy with how his voice sounded. It sounded like a little kid's; impatient, demanding almost. He felt like he was close to them, so close he couldn't stand to sit still. His hands found the seat again and he squeezed it again, trying to dislodge some of the strange tension boiling in his blood.

Kakashi seemed to think for a moment before he turned a corner, into an area Naruto had been to only once or twice in his life. There were corporate buildings along with some political ones as well, with a tiny shopping district towards the capitol and a library a bit south of there. The truck stopped, and the engine hummed as it sat stagnant in the middle of an abandoned street.

"There's nothing to fear during the day," Kakashi finally answered. "They prefer the night. When the sun sets, they will find us."

The comment sent a chill down Naruto's spine and images of Nosferatu made his blood run a little colder through his veins. Feeling a little foolish in comparing aliens to vampires, Naruto nodded, accepting what Kakashi had told him. The older man watched him skeptically before clearing his throat.

"I need to go and get rid of this truck. When the facility realizes it's missing, they'll be looking for it…" he was glancing around, probably thinking of the best place to hide it. "There are some stores around here, so you can clean yourself up in the meantime. You're not going to run away on me, are you?"

Naruto suddenly felt how dirty and vulnerable he was in his sweat-soaked hospital gown and found himself shaking his head softly. "I won't leave. I need to find him again," he stated, his words feeling a bit lost in the emotions that came with them. Even Kakashi gave him a look, but it was one he didn't understand.

"Alright." Kakashi leaned to Naruto's side of the truck and forced him forward, just enough to free his wrists from the cuffs. Naruto saw a bracelet on Kakashi's hand as he settled back into his seat; a bracelet with several keys dangling from it. Naruto wondered how he hadn't realized it before, but his thoughts were interrupted.

"Get out and I'll meet you back here."

Naruto nodded and popped up the lock to his door. He slipped out of the truck, making sure his gown fell to cover as much skin as was possible. Kakashi made a noise behind him and Naruto turned, an eyebrow raised.

"Be back before nightfall," the older man said, and Naruto nodded, wondering what would keep him.

The truck revved and Naruto slammed his door closed. He watched as Kakashi drove it out of sight, and beads of sweat collected on his forehead as the sun weighed onto him from above. His feet burned on the sidewalk and he hopped between them.

The shadow of the ship was too far from him, even if an edge of the ship hung not to far above. He watched the metal hover above, and listened to it groan; small whimpers from loosened bolts and aged metal that sounded like a mysterious song when combined with the airy whistle of a hot breeze.

Unable to take the burning sensation searing the pads of his feet, Naruto turned towards the cluster of expensive shops that only business executives and politicians found affordable. He released a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. He would change his clothes and wander to the library, and hopefully the time would pass quickly enough that night would come sooner rather than later.

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**a/n:** Hopefully three will be out faster, eh??


	3. Chapter 3

**Slumberland**

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**Author:** Ladelle

**Comments:** I wrote this chapter three times, I am not even kidding you. 18 pages deleted, and this is what you get, LOL. A teacher of mine once said that your tenth draft is your best one, and I thought she was crazy. But I'm starting to wonder if I'm getting a writer's OCD because I get so many ideas I just re-write and re-write and re-write, haha. Anyway, it's a tiny bit shorter than the others, but it was a good place to end so I did.

Hope you enjoy~

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**~Part 3**~

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Naruto found everything needed in the first store he stepped into. He hadn't expected getting inside to be so easy, but the evacuation of the city had obviously frightened people to the point of not locking business doors. Not that Naruto was complaining. He needed clothes for the sake of reclaiming a sense of normalcy _not_ found in the sweat and dirt stained hospital gown that he less than affectionately planned to discard.

After snagging a pair of jeans from an organized display pile near the check-out counter, Naruto stalked towards the rear of the store, passing an employee break room and a storage closet before finally locating the destination he sought. Even without a tub or anything remotely homely inside, the bathroom was a more than welcome sight.

Hot water splashed from the faucet to Naruto's hands and he scrubbed his skin red, rubbing away the griminess that days without bathing had culminated. He washed his face and combed water through his hair with his fingers, tugging at knots and rinsing it clean. The sensation of water pouring over his skin was liberating, and when he was finished bathing, he pulled on the pair of jeans and wandered back into the store to explore.

In the employee lounge he found a snack machine and his stomach twisted at the thought of food. How long had it been since he had eaten? He couldn't remember. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had anything to drink either, which made him feel nauseated. The snack machine had bottled spring water, jerky, chips, donuts, and candy, and Naruto felt weak with a sudden hunger. It felt like a cruel joke when he realized he didn't have any money on him.

Licking his lips through the dryness that had suddenly caked his throat, Naruto looked around, wondering if he would be lucky enough to find any that a worker had left out before leaving. There was a backpack on the floor next to the refrigerator and, throwing away any manners he would have had if its owner was actually present, Naruto rifled through it.

There was a laptop and some notebooks, enough to make Naruto assume the person had been a student. He unloaded the bag and stacked everything neatly on a cherry-wood table, feeling a little jittery when the last item he pulled out was a wallet. He could see some tattered bills poking out from the top and his stomach growled.

Naruto clenched his eyes closed and silently asked forgiveness as he withdrew a few dollars and retrieved some food and drink from the machine. He downed a bottle of water and plowed through a pack of donuts, not quite feeling full in the end, but feeling a bit more energetic nonetheless.

The newfound vigor encouraged him to scout out the rest of the store, collecting some things in case he needed them in the future. He borrowed the backpack he had found, promising that he would someday return it. He put on a t-shirt before cramming the bag full with some other shirts and things that were on display, hoping he was collecting things he'd end up using. He had no idea what an encounter with the aliens would mean and he wanted to be prepared, or at least feel like he was.

There was a glass case near the cashier station with a plethora of switchblades and as he remembered the creature that had nearly killed him, he snagged a nice one for himself. There was display shelf with imported tennis shoes and Naruto's feet suddenly felt cold and bare. Knowing he would need shoes once he left, Naruto made an effort to pick the most boring pair on display, hoping the shoes' simplicity would help ease his conscience about the fact he was stealing them.

They sky's hue was beginning to turn a faded shade of orange, and Naruto decided that it was time to leave. It would still be another hour until the sun set, and so, with the backpack tight against his back, he decided to take in a bit more of the city while it was still safe.

He didn't see Kakashi waiting towards where the truck had stopped, so he figured he still had some time he could kill on his own. Another lucky break gave him a sign that had a big arrow stating that the library was 'that way'. Naruto obeyed, following as many bits of shade as he could find in order to avoid any direct sunlight. Even for being late afternoon, the sun was still blistering.

There weren't many cars stranded on the streets in this part of town; everything appeared vacant and simply enough, empty. Naruto felt like he was the last person left in the giant metropolis he called home, except he knew that Kakashi was wandering around out there as well. It made him wonder where the aliens hid during the day, and why they preferred coming out in darkness.

The library was as close as the sign had admitted it to be, and it was scrunched in between two larger buildings that Naruto recognized as court houses. He walked forward slowly and looked up, straining his neck until his eyes reached the tip-top of the structure. It was gigantic and alluring, as well as cold and unwelcoming.

Naruto crept up the steps of the building, admiring the architecture of it. The whole structure was white and insanely detailed, with pillars and slabs of marble that made it look like a roman sanctuary. It felt cold though, somehow. And empty.

The wind whistled around the edifice as though it had been vacant for more than a couple of days, and even though the day was boiling hot the building forced out a cold draft from it front doors. The feeling made Naruto pause. It made his heart-rate pick up. He recognized his new and intensified intuition beginning to bubble in his gut, making him wonder if there was something inside.

_They prefer the night._

Naruto found no comfort in what Kakashi had said as the creeping sensation of warning made his gut feel heavier in his belly. His hand drifted to his pocket, where he had hidden his blade and with a deep breath, he continued forward.

"Why am I going in?" he asked himself in a breathless confusion. He felt like the people in scary movies that went after danger when they could have simply walked away. But now he felt what they felt—the insatiable wonderment of curiosity—the strange satisfaction in the way fear danced through his nerves; the bizarre sensation that he was in control when he knew very well that he was not.

He stepped inside. Despite having no air conditioning, the building's air was stale and icy. Naruto had only been to this library once in the past in an attempt to find a Latin copy of Homer's Odyssey, only to be vastly disappointed when it had been checked out.

He stepped into the main hallway, a long tiled space that webbed off into different branches of the building. The elevators in the center were jammed open, and papers were scattered on the floor near the book keeper's desk. It was dark, all except for fingers of light that trickled in through windows that lined the upper level's walls.

He avoided them, sticking to the shadows, creeping quietly across the smooth floors with his new shoes. He was thankful they didn't squeak as he pushed his weight forward. He paused, hearing a sound.

Books falling to the floor. Their pages spilling open. Shuffling and rifling, and grunts and groans.

Naruto felt his lips curl downward, wondering what sort of alien would be pilfering the fiction section of a library. A thought of the creature that had saved him reading Harry Potter made him bite back a laugh. This was a serious situation, and he wondered if the sense of humor rousing from it was a result of him becoming desensitized or going insane.

He snuck towards the sounds, clutching his backpack tight to his shoulders, switchblade in hand. He felt like an inexperienced James Bond, creeping through the less than vacant shadows cast by shelves and overhanging lights in an attempt to not be seen. The crashes grew louder as he drifted further into the fiction section, until they sounded as though they were happening right beside him.

He peeked through a gap between two teen horror novels, searching for the source of the noises. And to his surprise, the room suddenly grew quiet.

That same fear that had motivated him earlier now sent daggers through his nerves, making him feel watched from every angle. He saw a discarded book at the end of his aisle, its spine broken from whatever impact it had had with the marble flooring. He went towards it, holding his breath as he shakily decided to peer around the edge to see if the creature was there.

He looked, but aside from a pile of books and a now-emptied shelf, there was nothing.

He could hear his heartbeat pounding inside of his skull. It was so loud he was sure whatever else that was in the building with him could hear it too. He couldn't think straight, much less decide his next move. He stood still, the hair on the back of his neck jumping to attention with the feeling that someone—no, some_thing_—was watching him, evaluating his every move.

_Why did I come here…_

Naruto pulled the blade out from his switchblade set, preparing to defend himself. There was a heaviness in the room that was beginning to drown him; the feeling that something was going to happen soon. That a confrontation was going to happen soon.

Not able to hold his breath any longer, Naruto exhaled, his lungs feeling abused as they struggled to demand more air. Naruto turned his head, peering over a set of short-stature books as he was eaten by the sensation of something peering over his shoulder.

Two eyes stared back at him, wide and alert.

Naruto released a less-than-manly scream and leapt backwards, slamming himself into a rack of books with a clumsiness that was unparalleled. He groaned even as his backpack broke his fall. He struggled to pull himself to his feet but a shadow was settling over him.

He thrust his knife forward and a cold hand gripped his wrist.

"Haven't you ever heard of being quiet in libraries?"

The black splotches that invaded Naruto's vision from the intensity of the fall faded and his eyes adjusted to the meager light. It wasn't an alien standing above him, it was a man. An old man at that, with long and uneven bits of white hair mixed with a few clumps of darkened gray. He looked irritated, and when Naruto was too stunned to say anything, he merely pulled Naruto to his feet.

"I, uh…"

"And for God's sake, put that ridiculous weapon away," the old man released Naruto's hand, and suddenly the switchblade _did_ look pretty pathetic. Finally retrieving his voice, Naruto found himself met with nothing. The old man had walked away, and for his age, he moved fairly swiftly.

Turning the corner of the nearest book stand, Naruto watched the old man scramble up a ladder slanted against a tall built-in of novels, only to rip the books off their shelves and send them soaring towards the floor. Naruto had to move to avoid getting smacked on the head.

"Curious kids, sneaking around, carrying knives like they're _toys_," the man was muttering, and Naruto glanced around the room before turning his attention back up to the older man.

"Um," he wasn't sure how he should refer to the man, considering that this point in time, he looked like a lunatic. "What are you doing?"

The old man knocked five books off the shelf and peered down, only his eyes visible over his broad shoulder. They were narrowed and irritated.

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm getting rid of the things _they_ can use!" the comment was followed by another arm-sweep of the shelf to which Naruto jumped backwards in order to avoid another book-to-head collision.

Naruto glanced down to his feet, lightly kicking a young adult vampire series to the side. He snorted. "Why would they want fiction books?"

The older man clawed his way further down the shelf, the ladder bumbling along below him. He scraped a few more novels off and grumbled, "We've written about them in almost every fiction book that exists! They all need to be burned…"

The last book burning Naruto remembered from history didn't prove to be a good memory for anyone, so he found himself narrowing his eyes at the older man above, unsure of what to say to that.

"Who are you, boy?" the old man's voice sang out, but when Naruto looked, he wasn't paying him any special attention. He was focused on cleaning all of the shelves more than gauging Naruto's expression.

"Naruto," he answered softly, still looking around for signs of anything _else_ that had heard the old man's racket. "Who are _you_?"

The older man gave a dissatisfied grunt before replying, "Jiraiya. _My_ books are in that pile, too, so don't go giving me any lectures."

Naruto had heard that writers were a bit zany, but this man apparently pushed the limits.

"Excuse me," Naruto almost yelled over the explosion of hard-covers that landed next to his feet. The man paused and gave him an exasperated glare. "What?"

Naruto sucked in a deep breath and buried his pride. He'd rather get some ideas from a crazy old man then try to fish them out of Kakashi. "You said we've written about them in almost every book…" Naruto picked up the vampire book and eyed it skeptically. "I honestly don't think this has any aliens in it."

There was a second of silence that seemed to stretch a lifetime before the older man tipped his head back and erupted in a roar of laughter. He started down the ladder, his eyes tearing from the joke Naruto hadn't even known he had told, and when his feet reached the floor he regained his normal psychotic composure.

"You think that they are aliens?" he asked, but Naruto could tell that the question was rhetorical. "All of the answers are right here," he waved his arms around, "but no one takes the time to read anymore."

Jiraiya paused for a moment, stuck in a thought or passing memory that took up his attention. When he snapped back to reality, he grabbed Naruto's wrist and dragged him down an aisle of books, pulling Naruto to a section he remembered from the one and only time he had ever visited this library in particular.

"Not that you can read the language that hailed all western languages," Jiraiya started, but Naruto interrupted with, "I can read Latin."

The old man gave him an airy look of disbelief before continuing. "The books of the original philosophers," he said, "tell you everything. All of the legends of what have made us to be the way we are. Everything is written here."

Jiraiya plucked a book from the shelf beside Naruto and eyed it, looking fascinated, almost as though he had never before read the book himself. The cover was simple and the title, written in Latin, alluded to a collection of writings from Plato.

"_Everything_ is written here?" Naruto doubted. "It's not that I don't believe his works are important, but their value has changed up until now."

The old man named Jiraiya gave him a disapproving look. "Those who see with their eyes are blind."

Naruto snorted. "That's Socrates, not Plato," Naruto again examined the cover of the book.

"Wasn't Plato his closest student?" Jiraiya said it as though he was insulted. He wasn't asking the question himself, he was urging Naruto think outside of a box he wasn't aware he was stuck inside. "Read it."

Naruto vaguely wondered if he had read it before. He felt annoyed. He understood the developmental value of the stories born from the old stories of Greece, but in today's world, they only served as philosophical devices or commandments for morality.

"These stories aren't real," Naruto stated, still looking at the book like it was nothing to him. Jiraiya narrowed his eyes and frowned when Naruto continued. "They may reflect society, but the writings themselves are still fictitious."

"They were once real though, and that, Naruto, is the point."

Naruto felt his body slouch in disappointment. "What does that matter? They're myths. The only thing you can learn from myths are morals."

"Have you even taken a philosophy course? The myths have to of started somewhere, from something greater. Don't you agree with that?"

Naruto found himself back in his philosophy classes, arguing points that couldn't be proven. "Humans created religion and law, not God."

"I am not talking about God," Jiraiya glared. "The _gods_. The lot of them."

The forefront of Naruto's mind urged him to place the book back onto the shelf and simply leave. He had no idea what this man was talking about. But there was another part, a lesser known part of himself that made it impossible for him to move.

What _did_ he mean?

"You believe there is more than one," Naruto said finally, trying to sort what he could from the older man's sentiments. Jiraiya looked calmer suddenly, perhaps realizing that Naruto was actually listening to him.

"At one point, a whole society thought that."

Naruto frowned. "And now, an entire society only believes that _one_ exists."

"Not an entire society," Jiraiya clarified, "but close enough." He shoved the book at Naruto's chest and the younger man had no choice but to embrace it. "There is an importance in that. Read the book."

And just like that, the old man started tearing books from their shelves again, scattering them on the floor as though they were useless. Naruto looked down to the book in his hands and felt cool suddenly, realizing how dark the room had become.

"Is the sun setting already?" he looked up towards the beautiful upper landing windows, seeing less light filtering in.

The man grunted, still fishing through the lot of Latin books. "Close enough. I gave you what you wanted, so leave," he said, and his tone was clipped. Jiraiya looked as though he had very little time to destroy the books he had set out to obliterate, and honestly, Naruto didn't have the energy to stop him.

He turned to obey when a shadow caught his attention and caused him to jump back. His eyes roved the figure and he let out a deep sigh when he recognized it as Kakashi. He panicked suddenly, thinking he had lost track of time.

"Is it already night?" he asked, and Kakashi shook his head, his expression oddly grim. Naruto noticed and frowned. "What's wrong?"

Kakashi wasn't looking at him; he was staring at Jiraiya, his eyebrows drawn downward. Naruto glanced between them and felt the room turn cold when Kakashi finally spoke.

"You have one here," he said, and Naruto felt his blood run cold. Jiraiya had what?

The older man snorted. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Kakashi stepped past Naruto, and for the first time Naruto got a good feel for what the other man was like when angry. He was holding something in his hand that looked suspiciously like cloth, but in the dim inside lighting it was hard to tell exactly what it was.

"Where is it?" Kakashi asked, and the tone of his voice hinted that there were no options but to tell. Naruto looked to Jiraiya, still confused, and the old man narrowed his eyes. "What's it to you? You're a hunter, aren't you? I can smell it on you; their blood."

Naruto felt his breath catch in his throat but didn't have the opportunity to ask anything before Kakashi was in front of him, clutching the old man's shirt by the collar. He was infuriated, and growled, "Where is it?"

Jiraiya didn't look intimidated as his eyes stayed glued to Kakashi's, a bored expression pinching his lips. He knocked his head to the side towards a darkened back hallway, and in seconds, Kakashi's grip on him was gone. Naruto jogged after him towards the area that Jiraiya had pointed, and glanced back to see that the old man was no longer where he had been a moment previous.

"Kaka—"

"Be quiet for a minute," the other man said, and his tone wasn't friendly. The room was so dark that Naruto couldn't see a thing, and when Kakashi stopped without warning, Naruto stumbled into him. "Damnit," Naruto heard him murmur.

"I don't understand what's going on," Naruto said, and he squinted his eyes, trying to make out anything in the dark room. He reached out to feel for something; anything that gave him a sense of awareness, but nothing seemed to be close enough. Except for Kakashi's hand which grabbed his and yanked him forward.

"Untie this," Kakashi said, and he placed Naruto's hand over something that felt like a tether. It was thin and splitting, and the little hairs were coarse against Naruto's palm. When Kakashi's hand left his own he tugged on it, and then followed its length in an attempt to find the knot. A satin material felt warm beneath his fingers, and as he rested a hand against the knot, he felt the material rise and fall.

He jerked backwards. "I-is that a person?"

He couldn't see Kakashi in order to make out a nod; instead, Kakashi yanked him forward and pulled his hand to the twine, urging him to loosen it. "It's one of your aliens," he answered, and his voice sounded more than concerned. "It's a woman…women are held in high regard in their culture…the fact she's here…"

Naruto pulled the knot loose and leaned forward, still trying to make out more than a shadow in front of him. "Is she okay?" Naruto asked, remembering the creature he had set free back in the medical lab. It had looked so pained, and he didn't want to imagine that expression on a woman.

Kakashi was moving; Naruto could hear it. He was shuffling around in an attempt to examine her, and finally, he stilled. "She's just unconscious. What an idiot…"

Naruto had a feeling the idiot was the older man that had captured her.

"What did he mean by saying you're a hunter?" Naruto asked, looking in the direction he believed Kakashi to be. There was a small amount of silence before the other man answered. "I hunt the ones that are incomplete. The ones that are bad and that prey on humans."

_Like the first one that I met_, Naruto thought. He also wondered what Kakashi meant by incomplete, but didn't have the opportunity to ask.

"Stay here," Kakashi directed. "I'm going to go and meet with the others and bring them back here for her. She shouldn't wake up before then…I'll be right back."

Naruto heard movement, and suddenly, he knew Kakashi was gone. He heard his breaths, slow and even, like the beat of a breathy drum. He was cold and he was growing irritated with the fact he couldn't see, and his shoulders were starting to burn where the straps of his backpack dug into his skin. He pulled it off and jammed his Plato novel inside, all before he heard a loud crash from the book section.

He had forgotten about Jiraiya, and he was pretty sure Kakashi had as well. Naruto had a shaky feeling building inside of him as he stood up, finding his way back down the hallway towards the pin-prick of light he had entered from. He figured the woman was safe enough hidden away, and he wanted to scout out the area and make sure Jiraiya had no intention of coming after either of them.

A small part of himself wanted to warn the old man too, because Kakashi was returning with reinforcements. As much as he disagreed with the fact Jiraiya had captured one, he didn't want to see any blood shed.

"You should get out of here," Naruto recommended, sticking his hands in his pockets as he rounded a corner towards the sound of more falling books. The old man paid him no mind, and Naruto didn't take any offense. Instead, he added, "It might get dangerous…"

Jiraiya's head whipped around and glared daggers into Naruto's very being. " _You're_ telling _me_ this?" He kicked the books into a closer jumble and shook his head. "I've got nothing against you kid, but now's the time to make your own decision about things."

Naruto watched as the man pulled a small box from his back pocket, and with the flick of his wrist, a match was set aflame. Stepping backwards, Naruto felt panicked. "A decision?"

Jiraiya dropped the match into the pile of books and grabbed Naruto when he tried to leap for it; to dig it out, or to snuff it from even igniting any of the literature on top of it. The books burst into flames and the fire crawled to a shelf, devouring it with pops and groans.

"You can stay, or you can leave," Jiraiya said, stepping forward as the heat crept closer to his trousers. Naruto shoved him back and narrowed his eyes. He didn't answer, but the older man didn't seem patient enough to wait for one.

"Suit yourself," he said, and he left, leaving Naruto to watch an entire bookshelf topple to the ground. Cinder flew into the air like confetti as it collapsed, and smoke was already beginning to form clouds.

Naruto twisted around towards the darkened hallway and took off, feeling dangerously confident that the fire would spread faster than his comfort level would approve of. When he found his way back to the room he collapsed to the floor, still unable to see anything around him, even as his eyes adjusted.

He crawled around, spanning his arms wide around him, searching for the warm satin he had felt earlier. His fingers met table legs, the wheels of rolling chairs, and most of the time, just the scratchy carpet beneath him. He shuffled around, feeling his heartbeat hasten.

_Make a decision._

"I don't give up," Naruto bit out, and he stretched his fingers as far forward as they would go. Relief swept through him when the feel of satin met the pads of his fingers and he let a breath of relief slip through his lips.

Something curled around his stomach.

Naruto looked down and could see a thing. It felt like an arm, wrapping around his abdomen, hooking around his waist. His blood ran cold and every hair on his body stood straight up when he felt breath on the back of his neck. He was frozen in place.

Oxygen came shakily to his lungs as he struggled to stay still, his eyes wide but unable to see anything but pitch black. The mark on his shoulder burned like salt on an open wound, and fear rippled through him uncontrollably.

The grip around him tightened and with seemingly no effort at all, Naruto was thrown across the room. The sudden sensation of being airborne caught him by surprise, but one that didn't last long before he slammed with a wall and collapsed onto a table below. The impact was so jolting that the table snapped apart under his weight, and he fell another few feet to the floor below.

With only a second to suck air into his lungs and ignore the sharp pains creeping up his side, Naruto felt a hand tangle in his hair and pull him to his feet. He cried out when his scalp seared, and his instincts sent his leg forward, kicking his captor hard enough that they both stumbled backwards and tumbled to the floor.

The grip on Naruto's hair vanished as the creature broke his fall, and he tried to scramble up and away. Two hands caught his wrists and yanked him back down, only this time, he collided with the floor and he yelled out when his shoulder felt like it had been set on fire.

He heard the other person moving; coming closer to him. He tried to pull himself away with his good arm, and nearly choked on the smell of smoke. He heard the figure above him, feet standing on either side of his body. Naruto's heart was racing and he was still blind with human eyes.

He twisted onto his back and choked out another cough, his entire body aching. His eyes drifted closed and he did the only thing he could do. He listened.

_I won't give up._

It was going to kick him, straight in the gut, from above. He couldn't see it because he had his eyes closed, but he could feel it. His skin tickled as air followed the movement, and Naruto, trusting his gut, rolled to the side.

Something heavy hit the ground where he had been, and he felt momentarily bedazzled in that he had somehow predicted it. The moment didn't linger long before a hand grabbed his leg and he was being dragged backwards across the floor. His injured arm sent blood pulsing to his temples, but he ignored it.

He scrambled to grab anything he could, feeling lucky when his fingers wrapped around what felt like a vase. He picked it up and heaved it with all of his might at the thing attacking him, contented to hear the shatter of the porcelain relic meeting the body. He pushed himself onto his butt and felt another surge of intuition. The vase hadn't slowed the thing down, only made it angrier. It was coming towards him now. He coughed on the smell of smoke and blood and scrambled to scoot backwards, away from the footsteps he could hear coming straight towards him.

He hit something solid. His eyes clenched closed, preparing for impact. A hand curled around his waist from behind, again. A woman's voice was loud from behind him. Had he scooted back against her? Still, the footsteps stopped.

He felt his body drain and he slumped backwards, trying to catch his breath. His chest was rising and falling like he had almost drowned, and he tasted the metallic tang of blood on his tongue. His shirt was damp and his arm was still screaming in pain, and his head suddenly erupted in a pounding rhythm.

The thing in front of him spoke and the woman responded. This went on for a while. The smoke clustering in the room was enough to make him hack, and before he had a chance to figure out what was going on, the alien that had attacked him was yanking him to his feet…by his bad arm.

Naruto let out a cry that faded into a whimper, and clenched his eyes closed. He ground his teeth together and tried to focus on something else. Like the sounds of more footsteps entering the room. Kakashi's familiar voice was a comfort.

"Naruto, you—"

That as all he got. The rest was in that other language, the one he didn't quite understand. Kakashi yanked him away and Naruto managed to keep himself upright, though it took an effort. A mutual agreement to move outside of the burning building must have been made, because Naruto was being pushed and pulled until he could finally see, thanks to the giant flames eating away the library.

He inhaled the fresh air around him and leaned back against a bike railing, holding his arm tight with his hand. He was pretty sure it was dislocated. Kakashi looked him up and down a moment before letting out a sigh of relief.

"Neji offers his apologies to you. The woman is a relative of his, and when he saw you, he assumed you were responsible…" Even though it was a plausible explanation, Naruto could hear the irritation in Kakashi's voice.

Something heavy clunked to the ground beside them, and Naruto recognized it as his backpack. When he looked up to see who'd brought it, he was taken aback.

It had to be the woman, but she was unlike any woman Naruto had ever seen. Her skin was pale white and her hair was like a ghostly sheet of black around her face, and her eyes were nearly purple. She smiled at him, and Naruto wasn't sure how to respond.

Instead he looked past her, locating this Neji person right off the bat. He had a few small cuts on his perfect face, which Naruto knew were related to the vase. His eyes were the same faded color as the woman's, and his hair was only different in that it was hazel colored.

They were both beautiful.

Neji said something.

"He also says that your arm is dislocated." Kakashi said, studying Naruto's arm wearily. Naruto let out a breath. "Yeah, I kind of figured that."

Neji said something else, but his body language deceived his tone. While he sounded helpful, he looked annoyed. Naruto could tell that he didn't like humans; he could feel it, and it made his skin crawl. The apology earlier had merely been a formality.

"He says he can reset it," Kakashi offered, and Naruto almost jumped away. "Hell no!"

The action brought him unwanted attention, as Neji sent a fierce glare in his direction. The woman spoke, and Naruto looked from her to Kakashi.

"She can do it, too," he said. Naruto looked back at her before he asked, "Where are the rest? Where's the one that saved me?"

"The rest?" Kakashi asked, looking confused. Naruto nodded because he had been thinking that there would be more.

"We were only planning on meeting a couple tonight, and by coincidence, we have." Kakashi explained. Naruto looked at the two again and frowned.

"What about mine?"

Neji said something and the sound of the language drew Naruto's attention towards him, his ears relishing the flow of it. Kakashi hesitated before saying anything back, and Neji came forward, his presence so dominating it felt intimidating.

Neji said something to Naruto, and reached for his injured arm. Naruto stepped away from him.

"Just let him reset it," Kakashi directed, looking a bit impatient. Naruto shook his head and teetered further from the brunet's reach, feeling skeptical about the entire offer. Not ten minutes previous Neji had attempted to kill him. Naruto wasn't sure if he felt gung-ho about an alien turning chiropractor for the sake of his shoulder.

Neji proved that he didn't care what hesitations were running through Naruto's mind by grabbing his arm. The movement happened so quickly that Naruto hadn't had an opportunity to be evasive. Instead, he simply jerked his head upwards, catching unearthly violet eyes with his own.

There was a force that held his gaze there, and one he couldn't explain. It was a feeling that told Naruto he had been caught; that there as nothing he could do to get away, even if he tried anything and everything that came to mind. So he stood, frozen, as Neji's long arm and slender fingers curled around his back, his other delicate hand clenched around Naruto's shoulder.

Naruto sucked in a breath and Neji reset his arm.

"Jesus Christ!" Naruto yelled, and in an effort to ignore his pride, his eyes flooded with tears. The pain vanished as quickly as it had come, and Naruto pushed himself away from Neji and tentatively lifted his arm up, happy to see it move normally. His muscles still burned, however, and he rubbed his shoulder.

Neji said something, and it didn't sound pleasant. Taken back by the sudden change in tone, Naruto glanced up, surprised to see Neji examining his hand. The flames that curled up around the library lit the street, and also what Neji was complaining about; it looked like his hand was burned.

"What happened?" Naruto asked, and he looked over to Kakashi for an answer. The older man ran a hand through his hair and let out a long breath before saying something to Neji. It didn't seem to be something good, because a sound came from Neji's throat that was almost guttural. And even the other being, the woman, looked curious.

"Your mark," Kakashi said, turning to Naruto. "Show it to them."

Naruto hesitated, but decided to obey. He tugged his sleeve up to his shoulder, revealing the strange mark that curved over his muscle. He hadn't felt it for a while, but judging by the situation, when Neji had grabbed him, the mark had seared the palm of his delicate hand.

More words that Naruto didn't understand were exchanged, and as a few cinders blew past his eyes, he was suddenly aware of everything happening around him. The oddity of being invaded, of having to escape a military facility, of fighting a creature ten times as strong as himself had somehow become normal.

But looking at the two beings in front of him reminded him how abnormal everything had become. They were intelligent and strong, and more of everything he didn't understand. They were staring at him like he was some sort of disease; something that shouldn't exist.

Neji's lips were moving and so were the woman's, and Kakashi was talking over the both of them. They were arguing, Naruto realized, and his ears were trying to follow. He had spent so many years learning languages that it almost came as a sixth sense to him. He watched their lips, listened to the gentle roll of consonants and the rich sound of vowels.

_Hominemargu._

The g was almost silent, but Naruto heard it. It was a word that was repeated, over and over, said by all here. His brain told him to break it down, and despite knowing they were not human, Latin assaulted his mind.

_Hominemargu…Hominem…Homi…Homo_…man? Argumentum meant there was a disagreement. Did the word mean there was some sort of discrepancy involving him having received the mark? He listened in some more. Most of the words were clumped together; being spoken too quickly for him to pick up.

Shaking his head, he stepped back, his ears ringing as the pitches of their voices grew higher and higher. He couldn't make out much of anything anymore, and he doubted they were speaking Latin. After all, _esshaio enomona_ wasn't anything he'd ever heard before.

His mark started to tingle, and he rubbed it wearily. "Yeah, I'm tired too," he said to it. He had assumed it was flaring because of his dislocation, but when the pain started to seep into his shoulder and melt in his gut he found himself feeling almost sick.

"Kakashi…" he said, slumping backwards against a stair railing behind him. He squeezed his arm in an effort to alleviate the pain, frustrated that Kakashi hadn't even heard him.

"Kakashi!" Naruto yelled. Again, the argument was too loud for him to be heard.

Naruto felt panicked. Something wasn't right. His emotions felt constricted and his nerves were rippling under his skin. There was something there; something wrong. Something watching them, watching him, something hidden in the shadows. Something with sharp teeth and something fast—he could see it, in his mind's eye.

He could see something he'd never seen before.

Naruto whipped his head around, searching for it. Searching every shadow he saw for something out of the ordinary. Looking for some misplaced bit of light, or for a curved bit of darkness that stuck out too far from a blackened alleyway.

He didn't see anything.

He found himself creeping closer to Kakashi until he bumped into him, an action that caused the discussion to cool. Naruto's eyes were darting everywhere they could, the hair on the back of his neck standing tall and alert. The voices faded and when Kakashi asked what was wrong, Naruto didn't want to risk looking back at him.

"There's something out there," he said quietly.

Kakashi frowned and looked around, and said something to the others, who suddenly looked alert. After a few seconds they spoke and Kakashi put a hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"Neji and Hinata don't sense anything. I think…this day has just taken its toll on you," the older man said, and Naruto shook his head, the sick feeling in is gut never fading.

"There's something out there. It's watching us. Watching me," Naruto stated, clutching his arm tighter. "My arm feels like its on fire…"

If Kakashi had planned on looking at the mark, he was interrupted. They all were, by a ruffling sound that drew their attention towards a dimly lit building across the street. There was an alley there, just as dark as the one that had invaded Naruto's mind, and this time he _did_ see the shadows contort. A figure formed from them, a tall man, dressed in all black.

Kakashi stepped in front of Naruto while Neji and Hinata gave each other wry glances. The man was walking towards them, and Naruto leaned to the side, taking him in as though he were going to sketch him.

He was lean and had dark hair. His skin was pale, but not pale enough to be whatever Neji and Hinata were. His fingers were slender, creeping from the sleeve of a tight black jacket that looked completely ordinary to Naruto.

Was he…human?

His eyes were dark. As he got closer, Naruto could see them, and his heart almost skipped a beat. They were like _his_, like the one who had saved him. But…the man looked like…a man.

"I was a little lost," he said, and his words were perfect English. His eyes drifted to Naruto and lingered just long enough for him to say, "But it seems I'm not anymore."

Neji and Hinata didn't say anything, though Naruto could tell that a million thoughts were running through their heads. They looked calm and collected, and surprisingly cold. Why hadn't they heard this man, this _human_ coming?

"I don't know this area very well, so I can't give you directions," Kakashi said, and Naruto stepped forward to come beside him. He saw the confusion on Kakashi's face, even if he wore a very good mask in an attempt to hide it. No one quite knew what to make of the person, and Kakashi was doing an expert job at playing it safe.

"Ah. I don't need directions," the man said, and Kakashi raised an eyebrow. Naruto's arm seared when the man looked at him. "I've found what I was looking for."

Words had only just begun to escape Kakashi's lips when the man was beside him, hand wrapped around his throat. Kakashi gargled a bit when the pressure tightened, and Naruto stumbled backwards, tripping over a stair and tumbling down onto the concrete.

Neji had moved just as fast, his fingers curled around the stranger's wrist, speaking harsh words that Naruto assumed were meant to get the man to back away. Hinata was behind him, a finger placed at the base of his skull. Naruto wondered if she was going to snap him apart, a scene he was reluctant to admit he had witnessed before.

The man didn't look phased. Instead, he smirked and let his eyes wander to Naruto, amused. "You've met my brother, I see."

Naruto frowned and it took a minute for him to realize that the man was staring at his arm; to where his mark was. He glanced down only to see that it was covered by his sleeve, and then snapped his attention back up.

"Your brother?" He compared the two in his mind and it didn't seem impossible.

Kakashi tried to say something that sounded suspiciously like a warning, and Neji was glaring holes into Naruto, looking angry that he had even spoken to the thing they had cornered.

That _thing_ smiled again. "Yes, my brother, Sasuke. I am Itachi."

There was nothing that could explain the feeling that overpowered Naruto's senses when that name entered his mind. Sasuke. It filled him as though he was an empty pitcher of water thrust into a cool and ever-winding spring, gurgling with life and spirit. Every part of him felt renewed in that instant, and he felt all the aches and pains from his body fade almost immediately.

Naruto stood up, his eyes almost wild. "Where is he?"

The being named Itachi looked awfully clever, but Naruto didn't let it faze him. He stepped forward and repeated his question. "Where can I find him?"

Kakashi growled something else, but the grip Itachi had on his throat only became more restricting. Neji shouted in his native tongue, and Naruto knew it was something equivalent to, "_Shut up!"_

But Naruto couldn't shut up. Not when it had something to do with the one that had saved him; the one that had marked him. The person he couldn't escape no matter what he tried or where he went. Sasuke.

"I won't be able to tell you if they kill me," Itachi said.

Naruto looked back and forth from Hinata's confused eyes to Neji's furious glare, and then to Kakashi's cheeks, reddening as he struggled to breathe.

"Let Kakashi go," Naruto ordered, and Itachi's lips curled up again.

"And if I don't?"

Naruto lowered his head. "I won't go with you. That's what you want, right?" It wasn't in any being's nature to offer up information so freely. While Naruto felt his heartstrings being tugged in the direction of anything relating to Sasuke, he could see the danger in Itachi.

He wanted something. And Naruto knew, from what he had seen in his mind—the shadows, the teeth, the overwhelming gravity of emotion—that what Itachi wanted was him.

"Good boy," Itachi said, and his fingers loosened around Kakashi's neck, causing the man to stumble backwards, choking in raspy breaths of air. Before Neji or Hinata could react, Itachi was beside Naruto. "You've chosen wisely."

From his crouched position on the ground, Kakashi croaked, "Naruto, do _not_ go with him!"

Neji and Hinata were crouched beside him, and Naruto couldn't help but find it interesting that they looked so confused. Did Kakashi know this man, and they did not?

"Too late, Hatake," Itachi replied, and the pain spouting from the mark on Naruto's arm made Naruto feel like he was being incinerated.

"Come."

It was a demand, and Naruto obeyed. He grabbed his backpack and pulled it over the shoulder that didn't hurt, and in less time that it took to blink, Itachi was pulling him away. They were moving fast too, making Naruto wonder how on earth he was keeping up. He glanced back to the trio he was leaving behind, knowing he was walking into danger.

But how could he say no?

He let out a disgruntled grumble as the pain in his arm started to numb, the pins and needles beginning to subside. No one was coming after him, but he could see the looks in their eyes. Naruto knew this wouldn't be the last time he'd see them.

"So tell me, what did my brother look like when he found you?"

Naruto felt confused, and his lungs were burning as he struggled to keep up. He tried to remember every detail. "He…was wearing a coat and—"

"No. His face. How did he look at you?"

Naruto's skin crawled. The question was weird. He frowned. "I don't know…worried? Look, I don't understand a lot of what's going on—"

"Worried," Itachi interrupted, and his face changed. He didn't look amused anymore, he looked irritated. The fire was fading from behind them, and Naruto was slowly becoming blind again.

Naruto struggled to keep his backpack on his shoulder as Itachi yanked him around a corner, and the utter darkness made him feel claustrophobic. His feet skid over pebbles and loose concrete and the stale smell of abandoned trash invaded his nostrils.

They didn't go much further before Itachi suddenly stopped, and Naruto coughed out a groan when the other man slammed him against the brick wall of the building behind him.

"What are you—"

Itachi yanked up Naruto's sleeve and revealed the mark, glowing red. It gave off enough light so that Naruto could see Itachi's face clearly, and he didn't look like he was ready to do Naruto any big favors.

"You want to see Sasuke, right?" Itachi asked, and Naruto's intuition was telling him to run. He tried to struggle against Itachi's grip but it was too strong.

"What are you doing?" he questioned.

Itachi smirked. "Making Sasuke worry just a bit more."

A cool hand covered the mark on Naruto's arm and everything went black.

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**a/n:** I would love to promise an update really soon, but I'm going to challenge myself to do NaNoWriMo this month. It started today, but I really wanted to get this out instead...But I will do my best! Cheer me on! You never know, by the end of November I may have a good chunk of a real novel written. ;)


	4. Chapter 4

**Slumberland**

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**Author:** Ladelle

**Comments:** So...I only got about 15,000 words for NaNoWriMo but...que sera sera. Last month was a bit crazy! But thank you again for all of your reviews and here is chapter four...and I've already started on five. I'm thinking this will be longer than six parts because I suddenly came up with a LOT of ideas for it. So we shall see. But rest assured, I will start no new fanfictions til this one and my others are done.

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**~Part 4**~

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Naruto rolled onto his side and immediately regretted it. Shooting into a sitting position, he grabbed his upper arm, resolutely blinking himself awake. His vision was fuzzy and as he looked around, he realized that he wasn't quite sure where he was. The room looked like the living area of an apartment and he was curled up on a couch, tangled in a white sheet. His arm felt numb as he gripped it tightly and attempted to rub the soreness away.

"It will be like that for a few days," Itachi's voice was one Naruto was beginning to think would haunt him until his dying day. It came from behind, and when Naruto tried to turn to meet the other man's eyes, the base of his neck burned. He scowled and took a few deep breaths.

"You were asleep for a while," Within a few seconds, Itachi was standing in front of him.

Naruto frowned and once more took in his surroundings. "Where am I?"

"With me," the other man answered, and Naruto felt uncomfortable. Even though a thousand thoughts were racing through his mind, he couldn't make himself reply. There was a heaviness in the room, and it all seemed to stem from the emotionless stare he was receiving from Itachi.

The other man sat on the arm of the couch, right beside Naruto. Even though the angle created a strain on his neck, Naruto didn't let their eye contact break. He felt like he could lose track of Sasuke's brother with in blink of an eye, and he didn't want to risk it.

Itachi pressed a cold palm to Naruto's forehead and the action sent Naruto jumping to his feet, jerking himself away from the touch. He nearly tripped out of the sheet and as he stumbled to catch his balance, a headache hammered his temples. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and groaned. "What the hell did you do to me…?"

Itachi sounded irritated. "Nothing you can't handle."

Naruto heard him moving from the couch, and looked up just in time to see Itachi reaching for him. He stepped backwards in an attempt to avoid the contact, earning an unimpassioned glare from Itachi. Something was different—Naruto felt sluggish. He quickly glanced down to the mark on his arm and felt panicked when he realized that it was completely black.

"What did you do?" Naruto asked, rubbing what now looked more like a tattoo than a scar. He felt nothing beneath. No life, no tingling—nothing that proved it was anything but an intricate design on his flesh.

Itachi was successful in grabbing Naruto this time; his fingers curling around Naruto's bicep, just beneath the scar. Naruto tried to pull himself away, but there was something in the way that Itachi's eyes examined his shoulder that made him pause. Those dark eyes seemed to see through whatever the intricate design was and Naruto felt his heart beat in a bizarre tempo inspired by his anxiety.

"Hatake didn't tell you very much, did he?" Itachi asked, his eyes raking up to take in Naruto's expression. The two men were so close and then tension was unbearable. It felt like a knife was pressed to Naruto's throat; that if he opened his lips to speak he'd choke on his words. It was an unbearable feeling, and one Naruto had never experienced before.

"His mistake," Itachi sighed, and when Naruto thought that invisible blade would sink into his skin, Itachi moved away. He knelt down and retrieved the tangled sheet from the floor, balling it between his slender fingers. "You're special, you know. That's why I'm going to have to kill you."

Naruto watched as Itachi brought corners of the bedding together, carefully folding it against his arms. The concept of Itachi killing him affected him strangely, because the same fear he had felt before—with the military—didn't exist here. Only a numb realization and also confusion. He had experienced so much in the last three days that everything was beginning to feel like a blur, and he was even becoming desensitized to the prospect of death.

"Who are you?" Naruto asked. He knew he should have asked something more productive. Perhaps requested that his life be spared. But the painstaking perplexity of everything he couldn't comprehend was now larger than his want for life, for mortality.

When the sheet was shaped to a perfect bundled square, Itachi sat down on the couch. His expression was devoid of anything Naruto could interpret, but there was an ego there that he couldn't deny. A sense that, even if he tried to escape, it would be useless. That somehow he had become a bird in a gilded cage, his keeper being the brother of the person he felt destined to find.

"I am Itachi," was the reply Naruto received. Rather than sarcastic, his tone was bored.

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "_What_ are you?" If this was a game of asking the right questions, Naruto was ready for the challenge.

"What do you think we are?" Itachi returned, and Naruto said the only word that came to mind. The only thing his language could describe the beings as.

"Aliens?"

Itachi's eyebrows drew themselves downwards into a complex glare that made Naruto feel like he had said something horribly wrong. That, and like he has said something horrendously supid.

"That book inside your backpack, have you read it?"

Naruto exhaled. This man had gone through his things? For what? He felt a shiver run down his spine but shook his head. He hadn't had the time to uncover the riddle that book provided. Itachi folded his arms across his chest.

"There was a time when humans were stronger," he stated, sounding a bit like he was telling a story he didn't care for too much. "They were faster and smarter and virtually undefeatable. Even the gods were cautious about interfering with them. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that the gods feared them."

Naruto raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his own chest, above his now-wrinkled t-shirt. He felt exposed as he listened, because the story sounded an awful lot like a myth he had heard before. Maybe he _had_ read that book in one of his classes, long ago…

"They looked different. They were dangerous, and were said to have four arms and four legs…they could read the earth and its sky, predict the future, see the gods' intentions. That's how the story is told, anyhow," Itachi cleared his throat, but when he started speaking again, the agitation in his voice wasn't cured.

"Humans were too dangerous so the gods conspired to weaken them. They discovered a way and acted on it, and thus the world is the way it is today."

Naruto let the story sink in, not entirely believing. Humans with four arms and four legs? Last he had learned humans evolved from apes, not from spiders. And gods conspiring? He could see now how the old man Jiraiya's fascination with Greek literature fit with the situation, even if it sounded ludicrous to his own ears.

"How is it _today_?" Naruto asked, still confused. Itachi looked a bit more invested in his dialogue now, and the room grew colder as he answered.

"A world divided. A people divided. You and Sasuke are the same. You were once one before the gods split you into two, and by some miracle, this invasion led you to one and other."

Naruto's mind went blank with disbelief. "What?"

Itachi's body language hinted that he was annoyed. "Try not to act so completely stupid. I don't have the patience to repeat every single thing that I tell you."

The words felt like a whip, and Naruto found himself once again looking down at his arm. "So this shows his ownership over me?"

Itachi choked out what sounded like a laugh. "If you want to call it that. Sasuke probably thought he was being admirable by giving that to you. Giving you a few more days to live…"

Naruto sat down on an ottoman that was behind him and searched his memories. A few more days to live? "I don't understand. He was protecting me," he explained. Itachi feigned boredom.

"My guess is that you came into contact with the blood of a castro, and he thought he'd try to fix it with his own. Our blood is like poison, you see, though on some rare occasions, the blood of the royals can heal…but not always. It was a shot in the dark that you lived through receiving that mark until now. Actually, the _only_ reason is because you are his other half."

Naruto frowned. "A castro?" His world was turning upside down again, becoming something he didn't quite understand. He pilfered through his own memories to define the term himself. What other blood had he encountered?

The one that attacked him at the Marquis. The one that came crashing through the window after him; the creature that Sasuke had snapped like a twig without even having to touch it.

"You're remembering," Itachi seemed satisfied. "Castros are—"

"Inferior," Naruto said, the part of his mind that thought in Latin kicking in. It was starting to make a small bit of sense. The creature had been animalistic—desperate for blood and amusement. Like it wasn't thinking straight. Even the one Naruto had freed at the military base had seemed aloof—not intelligent like Sasuke or Itachi, or even Neji or Hinata.

"What are you called? What is Sasuke?"

He wasn't surprised when Itachi belatedly stated, "Supra." Latin for superior. Was it possible that this story was true? As crazy as it sounded…was there a chance he wasn't being lied to?

"And me?" Naruto asked, staring across at Itachi, soaking in his every word. The older man frowned. "You're human. Nothing more. You're the half that is worthless because you depend on your emotions more than your strength."

Two halves of one whole.

Despite Itachi's insult, that was the thought that raced through Naruto's mind. The aliens, for lack of a better term, were creatures that woke at night while he was one that was up during the day. He wanted nothing more than to run from the thing that had surged after him, but Sasuke had faced it—had fought it with no fear.

"What did you do to my arm?" Naruto asked. "And how do you know English?"

Itachi sat back, still looking regally lethargic. "I'm beginning to wonder if I'm going to feel like this was a waste of breath when I'm finished. It's all very sad you know, seeing as to how you're learning all of this only to forget it in death."

Naruto felt his heart skip a beat, but he didn't care. He needed to know more. "Tell me." His voice sounded awfully demanding, but he felt the motivation inside of him. He wasn't afraid. For some reason, even though he knew the threat Itachi offered was real, he couldn't find room for fear.

Itachi sighed and examined his fingernails for nonexistent dirt. "I did Sasuke a favor. You too. It had to be irritating, always hearing him in your mind. The same for Sasuke. I wonder if he did ever find out what it meant…"

Naruto frowned. "I've never heard him."

Itachi didn't look affected. "You've felt him, I'm sure. Navigating you. Controlling you. Telling your body what to do, telling you who to trust and what to fear. You didn't think that was all you, did you?"

The realization dawned on Naruto. The hyper-intuition he had gained. Trusting General Nara, or understanding the creature at the facility that he had helped to escape. Knowing how Neji planned to attack him, even in the darkness of the room Hinata had been kept. Seeing Itachi before he even arrived, and feeling the brutality of his spirit before Neji or Hinata suspected a thing.

Naruto's voice came out shakily. "How did you know about me, or even find me?"

A keen interest enveloped the older man and his lips curved into the slightest hint of a smirk. "You feel like my brother. Everything about that mark emanates him, smells like him, _is_ him. And now that his link to you is severed, I don't have to worry about him finding me."

Itachi stood up and the movement was so sudden that Naruto jumped. He felt it now, or at least could identify what the sluggish feeling was that seeped through his senses. It was the absence of that link. The intuition, the adrenaline, the energy—everything he had before was gone and now…now he felt human, even though he had never recognized himself as anything more.

"My brother wants to kill me you see, and I want to kill him," Itachi explained, while pouring himself a glass of water in the kitchen. It was directly next to the living room area, and was small and a sterile white color. Even the appliances were stark in hue, and it looked painfully dull to Naruto's eyes.

"Explaining our culture to you _would_ be a waste of time, so I won't bother. But seeing as to how I've been exiled to this planet and still managed to find you _is_ meaningful enough. When I kill you, Sasuke will become nothing more than a castro and his friends will be forced to hunt him down and kill him…don't you think that's a bit romantic?"

Naruto didn't have the time to piece together what that meant. Itachi continued. "He betrayed our family name. He honestly doesn't deserve half of what I'm giving him."

Naruto knew without asking that their conversation had come to a close. He had learned too much at once, and it was all so story-like that he felt a bit like he had read a book too quickly, the ideas all a big jumble in his mind. And whether he had Sasuke's intuition or not, he knew he was in danger. He light from outside was fading, and he wondered how he had slept for an entire day.

He was beginning to fear the night.

"Of course, humans have an unwavering sense of pride," Itachi was still talking, even as Naruto stole glances of the apartment, trying to plan an escape. "That, and it's been a long time since I could enjoy the hunt. So I'll give you a chance to keep your life, though we both know you won't survive."

Naruto felt his skin prickle, a cold and clammy sweat dampening his body. The hunt?

"If you can live through tonight…I'll consider sparing you. The city is our playground and you are my prey. No Sasuke," he motioned towards the ruined mark on Naruto's upper arm, "just you and I."

Naruto's teeth ground together. The way he saw it, he was just a pawn. A pawn in some family feud he had nothing to do with. In some _alien_ family feud he had nothing to do with.

Itachi downed his cup of water and looked past Naruto, taking in the pitch black sky beyond a bay window. "I'll give you a five minute head start," he said amiably. Naruto took a step backwards, clearly shaken by the ultimatum. "Kakashi will be looking for me—"

"Let them come. I could have killed all of them last night. You're wasting time," Itachi began rolling up the sleeves of his shirt, very calmly and passively. Naruto clenched his fists.

"I have nothing to do with this!"

Itachi licked his lips. "You're right. Four minutes, twenty seconds."

A thousand images were massacring Naruto's brain; the hundreds of horror films he'd seen where the person running always got caught. Replays of Sasuke's horrifying ability to shatter someone's bones by simply looking at them. Could Itachi do that too?

He stepped backwards and Itachi finished with his second sleeve, adjusting it to sit just below his elbow. He looked angry when he peered up to see Naruto still standing in front of him. "Unless you'd rather me kill you here and now?"

Naruto's feet moved before he even knew he had commanded them to. He struggled to pull open the front door of the apartment, his fingers fumbling with an old fashioned chain lock that held it in place. He nearly ripped the plaque off the wall as he tore open the door, letting his feet carry him as quickly as they could away from the eminent danger he as leaving behind.

His head was full of visions of his execution; things he had never imagined possible happening to his body. It was one thing to die; it was another to be broken apart, physically and mentally. And the fact that Itachi held no fear of Neji, Hinata or Kakashi made Naruto's heart beat uncontrollably.

"Damnit," Naruto breathed. He spun around a vacant corridor hallway, whipping into a staircase. How far up was he? He had no idea. He had no time to look down and see. Was this how he was going to die?

Was this how Sasuke was going to die?

The thought hit him like a train and he had to stop in his tracks. His hand was gripping the stair railing so tightly that his knuckles looked like they had lost circulation. His lungs hurt and his mouth was dry, and in the familiar setting, a postmodern stairwell, his first encounter with Sasuke replayed itself.

Sasuke had saved him. No matter what Itachi revealed to him, Naruto knew he wouldn't be alive without Sasuke having been there—whatever Sasuke was. However they were connected, it didn't matter. If him dying meant that Sasuke would lose himself, or whatever becoming a castro meant, Naruto only had to do one thing; stay alive.

He felt himself calm a little.

He didn't have Sasuke's intuition to guide him, but hadn't Itachi said something about being able to feel Sasuke through the mark? Did that mean that he couldn't anymore, now that it was blocked? If that was the case, Naruto had an advantage.

The worst thing he could do was try and fight Itachi. The best thing he could attempt to do was hide.

"But if I hide, I could end up cornered…" he summarized, his brain finally slowing down enough to think somewhat logically. He had no idea where he was but Itachi knew the area well, or so Naruto assumed. If he lived there…

One flight would take him to the first level. Naruto continued to descend, almost positive that his five minute leeway was about up. How was he supposed to escape someone so impossibly fast? And if he couldn't escape from Itachi, how did he fight him?

Naruto had always been pretty strong, but Itachi wasn't the typical opponent. Not if he was anything like Sasuke, with the abilities Naruto had seen before. Naruto had no idea _what_ Itachi planned to do to him. He didn't want to think about it, either.

Escaping to the outdoors, Naruto took a deep breath, filling his lungs with what he hoped wouldn't be one of his last breaths. The sky was as dark as it had been the night before, the stars and moon barely visible through knots of smog that had gotten caught high in the atmosphere. There was barely enough light for him to see the huge blocky shapes of buildings and the smaller shadows of vehicles.

"You're too slow."

Naruto froze. Had the five minutes ended that quickly? He whipped around, but there was nothing there.

"Should I give you five _more_ minutes? That was hardly any fun at all."

Naruto swiveled on his feet, seeing Itachi a mere few feet from him, leaning idly against the shadowy bulge of a car. The resolve Naruto felt was already fading.

Was Itachi really _that_ fast?

"I wonder," Itachi's started, and Naruto felt every hair on his body stand straight when suddenly the voice was directly behind him, "if five more minutes will even matter."

Naruto jumped forward, but Itachi was too quick, almost as though he had predicted Naruto's movements. He was behind Naruto again, his voice the epitome of certain death. "Really. I never knew Sasuke was so weak."

Naruto let the comment drown him, if only for a second. _Was_ he that weak? If he was an extension of Sasuke…then he wasn't weak at all. Sasuke was incredibly strong. And if they _were_ one, like Itachi had explained…

…then certainly it worked the other way around?

Itachi was in front of Naruto before he had a chance to breathe. He held a pale finger outstretched, its tip barely touching the skin of Naruto's forehead. "Well, it was a pleasure meeting you."

In the moment before Naruto's death, he was surprisingly calm. He was thoughtful, piecing his thoughts together in a last minute effort to not give up. If he and Sasuke were the same…then it wouldn't matter what Itachi had done to the mark. The intuition—he had to still have it. Maybe Sasuke had awakened it, but he had to of had it all along.

_Move._

It was a command, and Naruto obeyed. It was just in time, it seemed, because Itachi's eyes widened and phased from a scarlet red to a charcoal black.

_Run._

Naruto's feet started forward, and he stumbled into a jog. The voice inside his head added: _Not fast enough. Left._

Naruto swung to the left, his breath catching in his throat when the ground where he had been standing collapsed through. He looked back over his shoulder and panted, watching as Itachi stared blankly at him, one eyebrow raised.

"You see through me now?" He asked, and Naruto didn't know what to say. His heart was like a jackhammer against his ribcage, even if he felt a surge of cockiness over the fact he had already avoided a couple attacks.

Itachi was in front of him before Naruto's subconscious could warn him. A pale fist embedded itself into his stomach, and Naruto wheezed before falling to his knees. He hacked and felt like he would never be able to breath again as he clutched his stomach tight in his arms.

Itachi clicked his tongue. "Don't be arrogant, human."

_Breathe. Just breathe._

It was all he could do to remember how.

He heard the voice inside of him command his body again.

_Get up._

Naruto tried, but his gut stung with every movement, no matter how miniscule. He shuffled forward on the pavement, doing his best to obey his willpower.

_You're going to die._

He started to stand, but Itachi had him by the hair. Neji had grabbed him similarly the night before, and again, his scalp burned. His hands fumbled to grasp Itachi's wrist, to get the other man to let him go. Forcing himself up, he slammed his foot onto Itachi's, which was right next to him.

The grip on his hair was suddenly gone and he was on his feet, racing forward, burying the pain that his sore stomach muscles had. His intuition told him to go right, and he did, throwing himself behind a semi that was angled in the middle of the street. He pressed himself to the ground, searching for Itachi's legs on the other side. He didn't see them.

"Who are you looking for?"

Naruto almost got whiplash as his head jerked up, finding the shadow of Itachi's figure on top of the truck. He was staring down, and another call of intuition sent Naruto stumbling backwards, barely avoiding Itachi's boot-clad feet as he crashed into the spot where Naruto had just been crouching.

Naruto surged forward and sent his fist flying, but Itachi was gone before Naruto had a chance of seeing where he'd disappeared to. His hand met thin air and he felt something hard smack against his ankles, tripping him backwards onto the street pavement below.

_Move._

Naruto rolled to the side just as Itachi's fist met with the pavement, sending shards of blacktop soaring into the air. Naruto didn't want to imagine what would have happened if he hadn't reacted in time, so he scrambled to his feet and sprung forward, only to stumble backwards when Itachi once again blocked his path.

He wasn't fast enough. Even if he stood an alright chance at evading Itachi's punches, he had no way of fighting back. And he couldn't dodge the other man until the sun rose. He was already tired and his leg muscles ached from the constant movement. He took a second to try and catch his breath, watching Itachi cautiously.

"If you have a vendetta against your brother, why don't you pick a fight with him?" Naruto panted, trying to buy himself some time. He wondered if Sasuke could win, and secretly hoped that he'd never get to find out, just in case Itachi _was_ stronger.

Itachi dusted his hands off and didn't look tired or even fazed by the exertion of his chase.

"I am," he answered, and he suddenly came forward, his index finger extended, prepared to meet Naruto's forehead yet again. Everything in Naruto's being was urging him to do something—to move, to drop to the ground—anything but let Itachi touch him.

The other man was too fast.

Naruto clenched his eyes closed and prepared for whatever was yet to come. He waited, but nothing did. The gravel beside him shifted and he heard a deep exhalation, and when he cracked open his eyes, he saw Itachi's finger merely inches from his face. A strong arm was holding him back, and Naruto shifted to get a good view of his savior.

Kakashi.

A strong hand grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and yanked him backwards, away from the threat. The person responsible turned out to be Neji, who came to stand in front of him, looking all too serious. He said something in that mysterious language, and Naruto pulled himself to his feet.

"Naruto, go and hide someplace," Kakashi advised. The idea sounded amazing, but Naruto couldn't bring himself to leave.

"I'm not running away," Naruto stated firmly. He took a few deep breaths and wiped away the sweat that had collected on his brow. Kakashi and Itachi leapt apart from each other, and when Kakashi turned to look at Naruto, his eye patch was gone, revealing the scarlet iris of his mysterious supra eye.

"You're going to get in the way," he stated, and the words hit Naruto below the belt. Mostly because they were true. But how could he just walk away?

Slender fingers enveloped his, and Naruto nearly jumped when he realized that the woman—Hinata—was right beside him. She pulled him away, and he took a reluctant step after her, stealing a moment to peer back at the other two. It was a blessing that they had found him. If they hadn't, he would have been dead.

"Where are we going?" he asked, forgetting that they didn't have a common language. She gave him a strange look before picking up the pace, and soon they were running.

_In front of you._

Naruto jerked to a stop and tugged Hinata backwards, much to her surprise. His arm stung at the resistance, and she stared at him, ready to either get angry or ask something before a shadow appeared in the place where they had been headed.

"You didn't honestly think I'd let you out of my sight, did you?"

Hinata stepped in front of Naruto, her eyes briefly filled with shock and worry. It faded as quickly as it had come, a certain resolution overpowering her. Naruto glanced behind them as Neji and Kakashi rounded the corner.

Kakashi's face was covered in blood.

"Kaka—!"

_Turn around._

Naruto turned, the name incomplete as it rolled off his tongue. Everything seemed slow motion as Itachi shoved Hinata to the side, his fingers stretching forward in an effort to grasp Naruto's neck. Naruto didn't have time to move. His eyes widened as he was lifted from the ground, gasping for breath, legs dangling unceremoniously.

"Too easy," Itachi sighed, ignoring everyone but Naruto. "You're just _too_ easy to kill."

Naruto saw dots in front of his eyes as the pressure around his throat increased and he fought for every ounce of air he could manage. He heard Kakashi saying something, and Neji yelling over him, and then he heard something bizarre.

Cracking.

It was sharp sound, like twigs snapping beneath your feet on a rocky forest trail. Then he heard Itachi wail.

The fingers wrapped around his neck loosened and Naruto fell to the ground, coughing a fit for air. He blinked his eyes until his sight returned, and it took him a good thirty seconds before he could think coherently enough to look up to where Itachi had been. He was still there, only his arm, the one that had hoisted Naruto high into the air, was as limp as a noodle.

Neji said something, and Naruto looked from him to whoever he was speaking to.

He felt the world stand still.

"Sasuke…"

The supra was hidden in the shadows, and still looked just the way Naruto remembered him. His trench coat billowed in a breeze Naruto hadn't felt until now, and at the sound of his name, he gave Naruto a questionable look. It distracted Naruto from the fact that Sasuke's hand was outstretched, the same way Itachi's had been while trying to plant a finger on his forehead.

Naruto realized that the bones in Itachi's arm had been snapped apart. The same as the castro that Sasuke had killed three days previous.

Itachi spoke in their language, and it still sounded beautiful. Sasuke said something in return. Neji yelled over the both of them, and Hinata was quick to yank Naruto up and drag him out from between the two brothers, away from the makeshift battlegrounds.

Kakashi found his way around Itachi and raced over to Naruto's side, holding a hand against his eye. Naruto tore his attention away from Sasuke to show his concern. "Are you alright?" he asked, unable to see just where the blood was coming from in the dark.

"Don't worry about me. We need to get you—"

Naruto's eyes darted back towards where Itachi had been, and the world seemed to distort itself. It took him a moment to realize that it was Sasuke and Itachi fighting; they were so fast that they were merely blurs to his human eyes.

Kakashi wrapped a hand around his wrist and tried to drag him away.

"I'm not leaving," Naruto said firmly, shaking Kakashi's grip away. They met eyes and Naruto shook his head. "I can't."

The grey-haired man frowned. "I know how you feel Naruto, but now we're _all_ in the way."

Neji jogged beside them, his features looking ethereal under the hazy glow of the moon. Hinata said something to him and he nodded, looking unusually human as he did so. Kakashi clenched his human eye closed and sank to his knees, and Hinata was by his side in an instant, trying to examine his injury.

Naruto watched the frenzied blurs with an intense curiosity. He squinted. It was difficult to make out the shapes—hey didn't even seem human, the way they moved. He relaxed and tried to look harder, to focus on one blur instead of them both.

He saw through it. Only briefly. For a split second he could see Sasuke, drifting backwards only to swing around. But Naruto blinked, and suddenly he couldn't make out any sort or clarity. He turned to the side and jerked back for a split second, surprised when Neji was watching him with cool and analytical eyes.

There was a crash and both of their attention snapped back o the fight. Sasuke was standing, looking as though he had hardly broken a sweat at all. Itachi, on the other hand, had been thrown head first into a concrete wall. Sasuke waited for any signs of movement for a brief moment before turning to the small group, his expression unreadable.

He stalked straight past Neji and grabbed Naruto's arm, glaring down at it like it was some sort of malicious thing. Naruto hadn't known what he had expected or their next encounter, but he found himself feeling intimidated. That, and everything Itachi had said was racing through his mind.

_You two are the same._

Naruto hissed when Sasuke squeezed his palm to the mark, and a familiar pain seared through it again. "Jesus—let me go!" He struggled backwards against the hold, and even Neji said something that sounded like a waning for Naruto's sake. Sasuke didn't bother listening, and Naruto got the distinct feeling that Sasuke didn't obey anyone but himself.

When Sasuke finally did release him, Naruto he went tumbling backwards. He caught his balance and stred down at his arm, pleased to see it wasn't entirely black anymore. It wasn't how it had been before though, either. He felt better though, less sluggish and more energetic. He glared back up at Sasuke regardless, but the other man was already walking away.

"Where are you going?"

Sasuke didn't respond. A plethora of emotions rampaged through Naruto, but the one that seemed to triumph over the others was irritation. He had waited for this moment, thinking there was a chance they would never meet again. He hated feeling like he was the only one of the two that felt the constant pushing and pulling motion that worked invisibly between them, even if he didn't understand it.

Neji said something that made Sasuke pause, and when he turned, Naruto could tell that his expression was one meant to warn. The intensity behind it didn't seem to faze Neji, at least not that Naruto could see. The two beings' gazes were locked together, and when Sasuke moved his lips to speak, Naruto could hear the blade behind them.

Kakashi moved in this instant, much to Hinata's dismay. She had been doing her best to alleviate a swollen gash above Kakashi's glowing red eye, and his movement had disrupted whatever technique she was using. He said something to Sasuke that sounded much more polite, and afterwards, Sasuke's attention whirled back to where Naruto was standing.

The kind look that Naruto remembered no longer existed. "I don't want you," Sasuke said, inexplicably coldly and in the language Naruto knew best. The words caught him off guard and he glanced back to Kakashi, hoping for some direction on what to say or do. Kakashi wasn't watching him, however, only doing his best to read Sasuke with a cautious scrutiny.

"At this point in time, it doesn't matter. They already know about the mark," Kakashi explained. Neji added something that caused Sasuke to snap at him, and Hinata held her hands up, trying to alleviate the sudden tension that Naruto didn't understand.

"Who knows?" Naruto asked, an eyebrow raised. Whoever it was, no one seemed thrilled about it. Sasuke least of all. Not surprisingly, his question went ignored.

Sasuke began to say something else, and Naruto frowned. "If you can speak English, then say something I can understand," he interrupted, his frustrations getting the best of him. The tingling feeling returned to his arm and he felt his emotions flare, a bit put off that he still had no idea as to what kind of situation he was in.

Sasuke pursed his lips and stared at him, looking otherworldly as his pale skin starkly contrasted the blackened night surrounding him. "You're not worth my words. Do not speak unless you are spoken to."

Naruto gaped. "I can say whatever I want whenever I damn well please. Don't think I'm intimidated by you and your—" the truth is that Naruto was intimidated, but his pride meant more. His sense of masculinity was shaken, however, when Sasuke moved in front of him so quickly that Naruto was forced to step backwards out of sheer surprise.

"You were saying?" Again, perfect English. Perfect cocky English.

Naruto opened his mouth to say something else, but Kakashi interrupted. "Whatever you're going to do, make your mind up fast."

Neji said something that had a hint of arrogance to it that Sasuke completely ignored. Naruto felt a gravity inside belly that he couldn't explain and he felt suddenly claustrophobic, like the world was closing in around him. He crossed his arms over his chest, already growing tired of the weighted feeling of knowing when something threatening was headed his way.

"What's coming?" he asked, not entirely expecting an answer. Sasuke moved in front of him, but it wasn't a protective gesture. He merely walked away, pacing towards the others with an agitation that was obvious even to Naruto.

Neji said something that sounded rude, and Kakashi gave Naruto a pitiable look. "It's unfortunate that you got dragged into this," he said, and Naruto got the feeling that he meant it. He looked calm but his face was worn with worry.

"You're going to have to go up there," Kakashi pointed towards the sky where Naruto assumed the ship as still hovering, "and convince them you're not worth killing."

The feeling ate up more of Naruto's nerves and he felt the ground tremble beneath him. Looking up to the pitch black sky, he casually shrugged, seeing no alternative than what he was told to do.

"Alright…" he answered, feeling agitated himself. He was a normal person who had gotten tangled in something huge by accident, and it didn't seem very fair that for the last few days, not once had his life been in his own hands. He added, "…take me to your leader, then."

No one seemed to get the joke, or if they did, no one laughed. Naruto was beginning to wonder just how many lives he had, especially when he felt painfully alone.

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**a/n:** So there are probably some typos and stuff because it isn't really beta'd. I got post-happy, haha.

I luuuurved writing this chapter. It was really fun, finally getting to reveal a bit about why Sasuke and Naruto are connected. The whole backstory is super awesome too, I really can't wait to get to a point where Naruto learns about it. For now, he's gotta go earn his life back, hahaha. Poor guy.

Alright, off to work I go. Thank you very much for reading and I hope that you enjoyed it. Love always!


	5. Chapter 5

**Slumberland**

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**Author:** Ladelle

**Comments:** Ohmahgoodness, mah back hurts so bad. I wrote this entire thing at Panera this morning, and I guess I made good time...I started at 8:30 and got out at 2:15? But yeesh, I feel like I've taken on the curvy shape of a banana. If you're ever happening down the street and you see some poor girl bent out of shape rocking some adorable pumps, it might be me. And no, it's not the shoes that makes her walk funny...it's the FANFICTION.

Moving on...thank you for all of your reviews! Everyone was pretty sore about Sasuke. But since when has Sasuke ever been an easy guy to read? Hahaha. This chapter explains him, so go forth and place your judgement! *laughs maniacally*

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**~Part 5~**

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It was amazing how fast the nights seemed to come and go. Naruto remembered a time where he could sleep through an entire day, and now, he was lucky if he could get an hour of rest. Given, he had slept for a good half-day while with Itachi, but still—the nights suddenly seemed shorter, and as dawn brimmed the outskirts of the city, he felt minutely exhausted.

Kakashi moved and it caught Naruto's attention. A pale lean arm went to the older man's forehead, as if to block the intensity of the sun that was beginning to pour over the city. He turned to say something to Neji and Hinata, both standing beside him. Sasuke had settled in the shadows of a convenience store, his head tilted back against the brick exterior, eyes peaceably clenched closed.

They had been like this for an hour, Naruto left to his own thoughts, excluded because he was human, while the others thought up what he assumed was a plan. After Kakashi had made the declaration that Naruto would have to plead for his life, Sasuke had gone to search the collapsed rubble for the remains of his brother.

Unexpectedly, Itachi was nowhere to be found. Sasuke didn't seem too surprised, or even shaken by that fact, and the nonchalance made Naruto feel nervous. After all, Itachi was a brutal, brutal being, and deserved to be feared. Or maybe that was just the powerless and human part of him thinking.

"We should get inside," Kakashi's voice recommended, and Naruto hadn't realized that the other man had come up beside him. He glanced towards Neji and Hinata, and neither of them were paying him any attention. He didn't bother turning to look at Sasuke.

Dusting off his jeans, Naruto stood. He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair, the heat from the sun already making him feel weighted down. "Where are we going?"

Naruto remembered what Kakashi had said about the others preferring night and he could read their discomfort as smog became visible in the distance and humidity created condensation on the store windows closest to them. He assumed that tonight would be the night he would travel to the ship smothered in clouds above.

"We'll stay there for the day," Kakashi pointed to a small shop lacquered in concrete. It was an inner city bed and breakfast, Naruto realized, and not one he would venture to on any normal day. This _was_ a decent part of town, but the building itself looked to be in dire need of a renovation. The only attractive thing about it was the fact it had beds inside.

"The sun is too much for their skin," Kakashi's voice had fallen low, like he was telling a secret. "It's best if we travel at night."

Naruto looked over to Neji and Hinata, and realized just how fair their skin was. Under the light of day, they appeared almost ghostly. Kakashi's statement made sense to him on another level as well. He remembered the alien he had saved from the medical facility, and how resistant it had been to going outside, and also how quickly it had disappeared into the shadows surrounding that outer courtyard.

"Alright," Naruto said, putting his hands in his pockets. He felt dirty again and irritated that the backpack he had gone through so much effort to load was lost to him. Kakashi said something to the others, and they started for the building. Naruto turned to see if Sasuke was going to follow. He was still passively seated in the shadows, looking comfortable enough alone and without company.

"Don't worry about Sasuke," Kakashi sighed, and his voice held a bit of pity for Naruto's sake. "From what Neji and Hinata say, this is just the way that he is."

That didn't make Naruto feel any better, but he had no intention of talking about how he really felt. He started for the building with Kakashi a few steps behind, and as he stepped inside, he relished he feeling of _not_ having the sun boring into his head. Kakashi said something to Neji and Hinata before they both disappeared to the upstairs level.

Kakashi turned back to Naruto. "They're going to rest, and I think it would be best if we did too. Tonight will be…different," he said, and Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"You're human, aren't you? Did you have to go through all of this too?"

Kakashi looked lost in thought for an instant, all before smiling, albeit a bit sadly. "My situation was a bit different. But yes, I guess you could say that they let me live. I won't be going with you tonight, though."

As Kakashi started forward, Naruto grabbed his arm. "What? You're not? Why?" A sudden panic went through him. Why couldn't Kakashi go? He was the only person Naruto could understand, considering Sasuke refused to speak to him.

"How to say it…" Kakashi frowned and looked thoughtful. "You have to be invited on board. They're expecting you, not me."

Naruto's stomach twisted and churned, and he felt his nerves tingle. The mark on his arm seemed to heat up momentarily, but the feeling faded, and he decided not to think twice about it.

"Get some rest," Kakashi advised, stretching his arms high above his head. He flinched when an injury from the night before seemed to rebel at the action, and ruffled Naruto's hair. "I'll give you a pep talk before you go."

With that as his last out of inspiration, Kakashi went upstairs as well, after grabbing a numbered keycard from behind the front desk. There was a corkboard where all of the keycards to the rooms were hanging, and he wondered when Neji and Hinata had snatched theirs.

Standing idly at the bottom of the stairs, Naruto realized that he wasn't sleepy at all. The exhaustion he had felt from the night before had transformed into anxiety, and he knew that even if he tried to take a nap, he wouldn't be able to get is brain to stop going two-hundred miles an hour.

After all, tonight decided his life.

Naruto spun on his heels and poked around the front desk, lazily reading the documents that had been left on its surface. Just tax papers, and a few notes about reservations.

There was a back hallway behind the reception area that looked a bit dreary, but Naruto followed it anyway, feeling relieved when he discovered a public shower-house. It reminded him of the locker rooms his college had, with tiled floors and peeling cement walls, and shower curtains in dire need of replacement.

He debated bathing but decided against it, considering he didn't have any clean clothes to replace the ones he had dirtied. He sighed with disappointment before backtracking his steps, trying to remember if he had seen any stores that sold clothing nearby. He was tired of stealing, but he was even more irritated with getting attacked by something every single day, and ruining his clothes with each scuffle.

Sunlight tickled his features as he stepped outside and let it bathe him. It felt good for a small second before it was a bit too hot, but he shrugged the feeling off. He'd grown up in the city, and his skin showed it. Compared to Neji or Hinata, he looked toasted.

Glancing around, Naruto spotted a few vacant restaurants surrounded by apartment buildings. He supposed he could raid someone's apartment if worse came to worst, but he found himself making a sour face at that idea. He wished he knew what part of town he was in; it would make finding shopping districts a lot easier.

"If you run away, they'll find you."

Naruto whipped his head towards where the voice had come from, and had almost forgotten where they'd left Sasuke. He was still seated in the shadows, eyes closed, and lips pursed closed. Naruto had to wonder if he had spoken at all.

"Who said I was running away?" Naruto asked, frowning. His attention lingered on Sasuke for only a moment before he was looking around again, searching for someplace where he could find new clothes.

Sasuke didn't answer, and Naruto wasn't willing to wait for a response. He didn't understand Sasuke or what was between them, or even what seemed to push them apart. And since Naruto had been greatly disappointed in Sasuke's attitude after he had searched for him relentlessly the past few days, he felt like his patience was at an all time low.

"Hey, since you've been creeping around this part of town, have you seen any department stores?" Naruto licked his lips and glared at Sasuke, unmoved when he saw a dark eye flicker open at the question. Naruto was positive he wasn't going to get a response, so when Sasuke did answer, he couldn't help his surprise.

"Why you expect me to know what you're talking about, I have no idea," he snorted, and his eye drifted shut again. Naruto shook his head.

"Alright. Well, I'll be back after I find one. Have fun hiding in the alley."

Naruto moved to turn when he heard something in the distance. The sound was a low murmur to his ears, but he felt the ground vibrate a little, small pebbles jittering as the hum grew louder. Lifting his eyes from he ground he stared down the vacant street, his lips pursed together as he debated what it could be.

It had to be a truck.

Was it the military? And were they coming here, to this place?

Naruto glanced back towards the bed and breakfast and he exhaled. There was no way he would be able to stomach anyone he had met getting captured.

_Hide._

"Hide," Sasuke's voice was sharp, and Naruto didn't obey. The humming had gotten louder, and then paused.

"It stopped…" Naruto stepped forward, going towards where he knew the gentle lull of the engine was coming from. He turned his head when he heard Sasuke hiss something at him, and frowned. "I won't get caught."

_Famous last words_, his mind supplied, and Sasuke's face seemed to say the same thing.

Naruto avoided Sasuke's arm as it jutted out of the alleyway in an attempt to grab him and resisted the urge to stick out his tongue at the man who couldn't stand daylight. Instead he started towards the sound, creeping silently against the walls of the buildings, being careful not to let his skin touch the burning mortar.

He could feel Sasuke behind him, watching him, searing with anger. Naruto took a deep breath and peeked around the side of a small drug store, spotting the hood of the truck right away. It was big and white, and familiar.

Just like the truck Kakashi had used to get them away from the facility.

Naruto swallowed a lump in his throat and sank into a crouched position when he saw feet moving on the other side of the vehicle, shuffling over the concrete. They moved towards the edge of the truck and Naruto spun around, praying that no one had seen him, or sensed his presence. He took a few long and steady breaths.

Cold fingers wrapped around his arm and he was suddenly being tugged backwards, stumbling over the pavement as Sasuke yanked him into a darkness of a dim alleyway between the drugstore and the apartments next to it. Naruto opened is mouth to complain, but he heard footsteps near where he had been standing.

Warm air blistered his ear. "Quiet."

Naruto obeyed this command, watching the sunlit world from the shadows as the sounds of feet shuffling around invaded his senses. The act of listening so intently seemed to last for hours, but Naruto knew that only about ten minutes had lapsed. In that short period of time the sounds faded and the hum of the truck disappeared, and before he knew it, Sasuke's tight grip on his arm was relinquished.

"They're gone," Sasuke stated, his voice filled with a fading irritation. Naruto didn't move from his place in the darkness, even as Sasuke sank to the ground, crossing his arms over his chest. Naruto suddenly realized that Sasuke had come into the sun to retrieve him, and wondered if he was anything like a vampire.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Sasuke glared, and Naruto could feel the intensity of the expression. He took it as a no.

"Why don't you go into the bed and breakfast with the others?" Naruto asked him quietly.

Sasuke appeared frustrated, and Naruto guessed that he wasn't used to someone questioning his decisions. "My place isn't with them."

Naruto nodded, but he felt his eyes narrow in confusion. He leaned back against the wall and stared out into the sunlight, feeling a bit on edge when he could only see the world through such a tiny spectrum.

"You haven't really slept, have you," Naruto didn't ask because he had already guessed it. Sasuke seemed like the type of being to always be on edge. Sasuke didn't answer either, and so Naruto slid down into a sitting position and sighed.

"I know you hate me or whatever," he said, still looking out into the faraway world showered in gold, "but go to sleep. If something happens or something comes, I'll wake you up. I won't go looking for it."

Naruto heard what was a very distinct sarcastic sound escape Sasuke's throat. "The fact that you think I trust you is laughable. The fact you think you could actually protect me, on the other hand, is ridiculous."

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "I had no intention of protecting you. Just punching you in the face if another truck came. You know. A wake up call."

Sasuke's expression fell to match Naruto's and they were both excruciatingly silent for a few minutes. Naruto, being the decidedly less stubborn of the two, was the first to break the awkward calm between them.

"I can't sleep anyway," he admitted.

Sasuke didn't say anything back for a while. When he did speak, he said something Naruto didn't quite understand.

"If I wake up and you're dead…"

Naruto raised an eyebrow, but when he turned to take in the other person, Sasuke was already asleep.

***

Naruto wasn't sure how he managed to stay awake for so long, and a part of him wondered if he had been lucid dreaming. He had never once closed his eyes, but he clearly remembered the feeling of soaring above the clouds. He had imagined a million ways the night had the possibility of going, and each one made him feel more and more uncomfortable.

The butterflies in his stomach were growing more panicked, and he wrapped his arms across his belly in a weak effort to calm them. His mark felt a bit heated again, but he ignored the sensation. The shadows beyond the alleyway had changed marginally, meaning mid-afternoon had already come.

Waiting for the unknown was the worst type of fear.

"Stop it," Sasuke said, and his voice was cold. It caught Naruto off guard because he hadn't even realized that the other man had woken up.

"Stop what?" Naruto asked, raising an eyebrow. His eyes felt sleepy, even though his brain was still happily chugging way.

Sasuke glared at him. "Thinking. Daydreaming. Whatever you're doing. It's giving me a headache."

It took Naruto a minute to sort through that comment. "Are you crazy? I can think about whatever I want." He didn't have the energy to wonder why his nervous anxiety seemed to irritate Sasuke so much. Everything he did seemed to frustrate Sasuke. Naruto supposed he was lucky to even get the other guy to talk to him at all.

Sasuke stared at him, and Naruto got the distinct feeling he was being looked down upon. "You haven't figured it out?"

Pulling his knees to his chest, Naruto balanced his chin on them. "I'm sure there are a thousand things I haven't figured out considering I am simply a mortal being," he added as much mockery as he could to his statement.

"You think I'm immortal?"

Naruto shook his head in a sad and sardonic manner. "No, I just kind of figured you knew what sarcasm was."

"You're an idiot."

"You're a jerk," Naruto threw back, and he pushed himself up, ignoring how shaky his legs felt from sitting for so long. "And since you're done with your nap, I'm leaving." He still had every intention of finding clothes and showering before begging for his measly little human life.

Sasuke didn't sound concerned when he asked, "You sure you won't die out there?"

Naruto ignored the comment and stepped out into the sun, blinking erratically in order to adjust to how bright it was. Sasuke said his name and Naruto's head spun around, not expecting to ever hear his name come from Sasuke's lips. He was also baffled when Sasuke was staring at him with an expression that wasn't hatred or aggravation.

"Don't do anything stupid."

"Ha ha," Naruto rolled his eyes and stalked off, feeling a bit more aware of his surroundings with each passing step. He was cautious for any sounds that reminded him of the military, and thankfully didn't hear any that made him weary.

After a good fifteen minutes of walking he found a store and snagged some clothes, and made his way back to the bed and breakfast. He didn't stop to check on Sasuke, figuring he was fine lurking where he had been left. Naruto took a painfully cold shower since the power in the city still seemed to be out, and by the time he put his new clothes on his skin was begging him to step back outside. He looked almost as pale as the aliens were.

As he stepped back into the receptionist area from the public shower-house, Kakashi was sitting on the staircase, looking almost as if he had been waiting for Naruto to turn up.

"Hello?" Naruto asked, and Kakashi waved.

"What have you been up to all day?" the older man asked, and Naruto could hear suspicion laced in his voice.

Naruto's expression fell into one of extreme disappointment. "I got stuck in an alley with Sasuke. There was a military truck a couple streets down, earlier," he explained, and Kakashi's eyes widened.

"What? When?"

Naruto shrugged. "Way earlier. It's okay, it's gone now."

Kakashi looked even more skeptical. "And you and Sasuke…?"

"Hid in the shadows," Naruto finished for him. "Such an exciting day, I know. I even got to watch him sleep." The sarcasm that coated his tone made Kakashi crack a smile, right before he stood up.

"There's a kitchen here. You hungry?"

Naruto's stomach growled, and he decided that he had forgotten that food existed. He had noticed in the shower that he had lost some weight, and considering he had never been heavy, that fact made him feel malnourished. But his stomach hadn't been begging him to eat, which meant he had gotten used to not eating at all.

"I'll take that as a yes. Come on."

The kitchen was a room beneath the stairway, and Kakashi had already started cooking up some dinner for the two of them. The entire room smelled awful and Naruto decided that it was all of the perishable food that had been abandoned. Not even the rich smell of tomato sauce smothered the thick aroma of rotting meets and vegetables inside the refrigerator, and if Naruto _had_ eaten anything earlier, he was pretty sure it'd be threatening to come up at any moment.

"Hopefully they'll start getting people back into the city soon," Kakashi said. "If they're sending trucks and not finding anything, that will most likely be the case."

"Spaghetti," Naruto stirred a pot full of noodles that was already boiling.

Kakashi frowned a bit, but Naruto didn't see the expression. "Are you nervous, Naruto?"

Naruto continued stirring. "Yeah."

There was a brief pause in their conversation before Kakashi pushed Naruto out of the way and took over concocting their meal. Naruto allowed him to, but only because Kakashi decided to start his promised pep talk at the same time.

"It's intimidating because they're nothing like us," Kakashi explained. "They don't understand us, or even believe in us, for that matter."

"The two halves of a whole thing?" Naruto asked, remembering how Itachi had explained it. Kakashi looked perplexed by the fact that Naruto knew exactly what he was talking about. Naruto waved it off. "Itachi told me some things."

Kakashi then looked furious. "What did he tell you?" His attention had snapped from the food to Naruto so quickly that Naruto felt like he was being interrogated. And, all at once, he couldn't even remember the whole story clearly.

"Something about humans once being powerful and then being split into two. Some old Greek myth," Naruto said, and Kakashi turned back to the noodles, turning the stove off with the decision that they were finished.

"Only the elders are able to tell you those types of things," Kakashi stated, his voice still full of aggravation. "Itachi is someone who has been exiled here, and him revealing to you such things could very well lead him to his own execution."

Naruto frowned. "Well, that seems a bit harsh."

Kakashi glared at him from over his shoulder. "It's not funny, Naruto."

Naruto shrugged. "I wasn't laughing. Does that mean what he said is true though?"

Kakashi strained the noodles to rid the pot of its water and his attitude became somewhat distant. "I can't tell you that."

Naruto pulled open a cabinet and snatched a couple of bowls for them. "I'll take that as a yes. He said that Sasuke could feel me through this mark or something, too. Wait…"

A year's worth of classes in Latin text seemed to assault his memory bank. "That story, it had to do with twin flames. With soul mates." He stared at Kakashi, a look of a horrified realization on his face. Kakashi didn't say anything, but his silence only meant that Naruto had guessed the truth.

"What the—just, what? Sasuke? How does that even make sense? Is this a joke?"

Kakashi was forced to take the bowls from Naruto's hand when his unstable train of thought threatened to drop them. "It's not a joke," Kakashi responded, and his voice was unreasonably cool. Naruto was afraid for a moment that he had offended the older man, but when Kakashi handed him a bowl full of spaghetti, he continued, motioning that they move elsewhere to eat.

"I'm not saying this to scare you," Kakashi said, as they traveled to a back patio. Naruto wondered if the location had a purpose, considering the aliens weren't likely to come outside and overhear them. "If they decide you're too dangerous to have around, they won't just kill you. They'll steal your soul."

It was pure luck that Naruto had been in the process of setting his bowl down on a glass table, because he nearly dropped it as his eyes snapped up to meet Kakashi's.

"What?"

"It's just a difference in how we view death," Kakashi explained, sitting down. "I don't think that will happen with you, but it's important to know. They see more of the spirit of things, whereas we as humans see the face value instead."

Despite Kakashi stating he was likely to not have his soul sucked out of his body, Naruto didn't feel better about the situation.

"You're not very good at pep talks," Naruto said, plopping into his chair. He had suddenly lost his appetite. The sun felt good, surprisingly, like it was thawing the iciness of his nerves.

Kakashi smirked, as if Naruto had taken away some of the tension of the conversation, even though Naruto felt it hadn't vanished at all.

"Can I ask you a question?" Naruto's tone was low.

Kakashi swallowed a bite of his pasta. "I may not be able to answer it."

Naruto had figured as much. "Even though they're kind of human, like us…but _not _human…" Naruto tried to make sense of the two-halves analogy, "…I mean, Sasuke is still a man, right?"

Kakashi laughed out loud. Naruto frowned, and he was fairly positive that his expression looked more like an intellectual pout. "I'm being serious."

After he had finished laughing enough to answer, Kakashi said, "Yes. Sasuke is male, if that's what you're asking."

Naruto grimaced. "I don't have any interest in men."

Kakashi pushed Naruto's bowl of spaghetti closer to him in an effort to urge him to eat. Naruto idly twirled his fork around in the concoction.

"Well, that's probably a good thing, considering Sasuke doesn't have any interest in humans."

Naruto ate a small bite and raised an eyebrow. "Why do they hate humans if we're all…attached somehow?"

He wasn't expecting Kakashi to answer, but he did. Naruto wondered if it was because Kakashi realized that there was no one left to explain things to him. Well, there was Sasuke, but he was a lost cause.

"This isn't the first time that they've come. They came before, a while ago. Ten years or so…when I was nearly twenty. But it wasn't all of them, just the Uchiha family. They were looking for people like you and I—the other halves, as you call them."

Naruto took another bite, still not feeling hungry over the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. "Sasuke's family…does he have more siblings, other than Itachi then?"

Kakashi looked confused before he shook his head. "It's not like our definition of family. More like, the Uchiha _clan_. Not all of them came. Sasuke didn't—at least that's what Neji said. They came here in rebellion against the elders—the ones you're about to meet. One of the rules of their people is to never seek more power, and the reason they came was exactly for that."

Naruto digested that for a moment before asking, "Is that how you met yours?"

Naruto regretted being so blunt. A pained expression briefly washed over Kakashi's face, but it vanished as quickly as it had come.

"You don't have to answer that," Naruto hurried to cover his inquiry, trying to alleviate the sadness he had evoked. Kakashi shook his head and answered anyway.

"His name was Obito, and yes, that's when we met. Because the Uchiha clan's actions were basically a declaration of war, the elders sent another family, Neji's family, to either kill them or drag them back. Obito was captured."

Naruto wanted to ask what happened to him, but his lips stayed pursed tight together. Either Kakashi didn't know, or he didn't want to tell. Naruto felt an overwhelming sadness and a fear for himself and Sasuke.

"As far as I know, those two families were the largest and most influential. I think that the Uchiha family fell from grace at that time…but at least with you knowing all of that, you may understand Sasuke a bit more."

Naruto took another bite of his pasta and swallowed, raising his eyes to meet Kakashi's with an all too serious expression on his face. "Does the fact that Sasuke and I _are_ soulmates…or whatever…mean that they're going to see him like he's following in his family's footsteps?"

Kakashi remained quiet, and Naruto figured he had made an accurate guess. He didn't feel like he understood Sasuke any more than before, but he could now understand why accidently encountering each other had put a strain Sasuke's disposition. He figured he'd be pretty upset too if he was trying to escape a family history, only to accidently repeat it.

"How can I protect Sasuke when I face the elders tonight?" Naruto asked. He wasn't as worried for himself anymore; not as much as he was concerned for Sasuke. After all, in Kakashi's situation, the human turned out fine. It was Obito, or the alien, that ended up in trouble.

The older man looked amused, but also unknowing. "I don't know. Pretend you hate him. That you want nothing to do with him. If they see that there's no hope of you two being together, they'll realize that neither of you are a threat. That's the best advice I can offer."

Naruto felt like that suggestion was a bit painful to stomach. There really wasn't any way he ever saw he and Sasuke in what he had always imagined a 'soulmate' relationship to be, but he couldn't deny that there was some sort of bond between them. Sasuke had saved his life, and if he could, he felt obligated to return the favor, if that's what it came down to.

It was a matter of pride, more than duty. As much as learning the two-halves thing was completely fascinating, it didn't feel real in an type of sense. It was like a story he had been told, and as he desperately tried to relate it to himself, he kept coming up short.

"You're really not hungry?" Kakashi asked, and Naruto suspected he had been quiet and distracted for an awfully long period of time. He glanced down to his bowl, his food now cold and barely touched. He nodded, thinking that he'd probably be a lot hungrier if he wasn't meeting a council of aliens in a few hours.

Probably less than that, considering the sun was beginning to set.

"They'll be up soon, if they're not already," Kakashi stated as he stood up, referring to Neji and Hinata. He collected both of their bowls and said something quietly.

"I feel relieved that you're more worried about him than yourself."

Naruto snorted and followed Kakashi back inside. "Even if he's a bastard, I wouldn't be here without him."

He could see Kakashi smiling, and it made him feel like a little kid. He wasn't sure why.

Neji and Hinata were awake, as Kakashi had predicted, and the light outside of the windows was quickly drowning in darkness. More conversations took place that Naruto couldn't understand, and he felt a microscopic bit of relief when Sasuke appeared in the doorway.

Naruto gave him a strange look, he could feel it on his own features. He was seeing Sasuke in a new light, with everything he had learned about the Uchiha clan slowly filling in all of the oddities of Sasuke's personality. If his entire family had been persecuted for betrayal, it made sense that he was as cold as he was.

"You talk too much, Kakashi," Sasuke said, and Naruto realized that Sasuke had caught him staring. All at once Naruto was positive that Sasuke knew that he knew more than before, though there was a speculation in those dark eyes that led Naruto to believe that Sasuke was aching to know how _much_ more.

Kakashi shrugged, and didn't say anything in return. Neji and Hinata didn't know English, and Naruto wondered if Sasuke did because his family had once before invaded Earth. There were so many things Naruto wanted to know.

"Are we leaving now?" Naruto asked, the butterflies taking flight again.

"Stop worrying so much," Sasuke bit out, his tone clipped. Naruto wondered briefly if Sasuke could feel his anxiety, since he seemed too practiced at detecting it.

"Yes," Kakashi spoke over a remark Naruto had been ready to throw back. Neji and Hinata seemed to understand the question, probably because it was expected.

Naruto frowned. "You know, I've been meaning to ask…how do we get onto the spaceship? Is it like Star Trek? Do we beam up?" He didn't want to admit that he had the smallest desire to shout 'Beam me up, Scotty!' at least once in his life, and have it be relevant to something he was about to do.

Sasuke gave him a look that bordered on confusion, and Kakashi cleared his throat, obviously trying to hold back a laugh. "No, Naruto. We have to get to the rooftop closest to it, and then climb up—"

"You've got to be kidding me," Naruto looked disbelieving. "You're serious?" he tried again, when Kakashi's expression didn't change.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed and Naruto knew he was about to say something mean. "If your body was stronger you wouldn't feel the need to complain all of the time."

"Well, if _I_ had the technology to build a _spaceship_ I'd come up with a more creative way of getting on board that didn't involve a _ladder_."

Sasuke snorted. "You _don't_ have the technology. So save the brainstorming for people who have the intellect to begin with."

Kakashi glanced between them and Neji did the same. Naruto's eyes narrowed.

"That's something, coming from the guy who gave me _this_ without thinking too hard about it," Naruto brandished his swirly mark and felt a bit like he had won the verbal scuffle, but only because Sasuke's anger seemed to spike.

Kakashi stepped in between them before Sasuke had the chance to do anything, and Naruto _knew_ Sasuke had been preparing to do something. Maybe punch him, and when Naruto thought about it, he probably deserved it. But Sasuke deserved some back talk, too. After all, Naruto was fully prepared to make sure the Uchiha didn't get blamed for anything.

"Alright, settle down," he said, and Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

"Or what, human?"

The look Kakashi gave Sasuke frightened even Naruto.

"Or you'll _really_ be in trouble with the elders," Kakashi's voice was like ice. "It's their law that protects me."

For a moment, Naruto wondered if Sasuke cared. Neji and Hinata had sensed the sudden aggression, and they looked ready to defend Kakashi, even if they had no idea what was going on. Naruto figured they were smart enough to figure it out the jist of it, even with the language barrier.

Sasuke left the building, and Naruto didn't feel good about it. He didn't feel guilty, either. He just wanted to get this night over with.

"Okay, let's just go," he said, trying to wash away the feeling that had settled in the room. Kakashi said something to Neji and Hinata and they started forward, and Naruto followed them outside. Kakashi followed closely behind, and Naruto saw Sasuke following them side-by-side, only on the rooftops above.

When Naruto glanced up to the sky he couldn't see the ship, so he trusted the others' instincts on where to go. The city was only about an hour's walk, and it was filled with Neji's voice and Hinata's delicious laughter. It sounded like silver, if silver had a sound attached to it, and it slowly worked the edgy feeling from Naruto's gut.

They approached one of the taller buildings, one Naruto recognized as the Marquis' twin, Lowel's tower. Being back where everything started brought back a plethora of emotions, but none that felt familiar. Compared to then, he knew so much now, and had experienced a great deal. He was a different person.

He would never be the same.

"You know…there's no way I can climb all of those stairs," Naruto said, staring up to the sky, knowing the building stretched at least that far. Sasuke had since joined them on the street level, and Kakashi exhaled.

"You're going to have to."

Neji and Hinata entered the building and Sasuke followed suit, and Naruto waited hesitantly outside, pausing when he saw Kakashi stop walking altogether.

"This is as far as I go," he stated, and Naruto nodded, not feeling good about that fact, but prepared for it nonetheless.

"If I come back, you'd better find me again," Naruto demanded. Kakashi nodded to him, and Naruto figured that was as much of an agreement as he was going to get. From behind him, Sasuke did the very human thing of clearing his throat to get his atention.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Bye, Kakashi."

The older man waved and wished him well, and Naruto turned around, entering through the door that Sasuke was absently holding open for him. The rest of their trip was still silent, and after Naruto made it eleven floors, he had to take a break.

"Whatever you're on, I would love to have some," Naruto breathed, rubbing his calves. Sasuke wrapped a hand around Naruto's wrist and pulled him back up.

"We don't have the time. There might be others here," he said, and he sounded a bit like he was lecturing a child.

"Like castros?" Naruto asked, and all three of the others gave him compromising looks, recognizing the word. He frowned. "Itachi told me a little bit…"

Sasuke looked as infuriated at Kakashi had, and he seemed to explain it to Neji and Hinata, both of whom exchanged looks of irritation.

"Yes, castros," Sasuke finally answered, and he yanked Naruto forward, and they started a up a few more levels.

Naruto's muscles burned. That and he couldn't breathe. He wasn't one to work out constantly, but in the same light, he didn't sit around all day either. Twenty flights of stairs later and he was feeling a bit like death would be an amazing end to such a painful ascent.

"I can't climb anymore," Naruto collapsed against the wall and held up a hand, motioning that he needed some time to regain some of his composure. His legs felt like putty and he ignored the condescending look on Sasuke's face.

Neji, who had been in the lead, came back down the stairs and knelt down to Naruto's level and extended a hand to him. Naruto, not quite understanding, shook his head. "I think you're confused. I have weak _human_ legs, and I can't _go on_…"

Neji grabbed Naruto's shoulder and pulled him up, and Naruto barely had a chance to blink before Sasuke had pushed the other man away. They exchanged some words before Neji's expression soured and he walked away, returning to his position as leader of their small pack.

"You're so useless," Sasuke said to Naruto, and he looked completely irate as he wrapped an arm around Naruto's waist and hoisted him off the ground. It reminded Naruto of the first time they had met…

"Put me down!" Naruto tossed himself around, and Sasuke growled at him. "I _will_ drop you on your face."

Naruto kind of liked that alternative.

They started up the stairs, and went ten times faster than before. Had he slowed them down so much? That didn't make Naruto feel too great. He swallowed his pride enough to prepare for it to be attacked later. He couldn't help it that he was under six feet tall. He silently damned his genetics…for the reach of his arms and legs, and also for the fact he was human.

They seemed to reach the 56th floor in no time. And still, from the rooftop, Naruto couldn't see a thing in the sky. He shuffled out of Sasuke's grip and ran his hands over his rumpled shirt, glaring the entire time. Whatever comment he had expected from Sasuke never came, and instead, he was distracted when some lights flashed from over head.

He remembered Kiba's excited exclamation that there was a spaceship in the sky, and briefly was overwhelmed by the fact that he was about to enter it. He wondered where his friend was, and took a moment to hope for the best.

Neji said something that caught his attention, and Sasuke glanced to Naruto. "You won't be able to climb it on your own." He said, and Naruto wondered if it was an insult or an invitation.

When he glanced up again, he saw what Sasuke was talking about. The lights from the ship illuminated a spider web of ropes, but ropes unlike anything Naruto had ever seen. They were clear and wobbly, and _everywhere._ Strung to the tippy tops of the surrounding buildings, anchoring the ship down.

Naruto had attempted climbing a mountain before. He had failed miserably.

"Since you're incapable," Sasuke moved towards Naruto and made it very clear that some sort of piggy-backing was about to ensue. If Naruto had any semblance of pride left, it scurried away from him faster than he had an opportunity to blink.

Neji and Hinata looked ethereal as they started up the tangled web of strange bonds, leaving Sasuke and Naruto behind.

"Now you're scared?" Sasuke asked, and his voice was taunting.

Naruto glared up to him, and their eyes met. "Look, I won't let them blame you for any of this."

Sasuke looked momentarily baffled, confused by Naruto's change of subject. He caught Naruto's train of thought quickly enough. "Kakashi really _did_ tell you." He looked irritated.

Naruto frowned. "I never got a chance to thank you for saving me back then, so thank you," he said. "Now I owe you. And that's that. It has nothing to do with this," Naruto continued, pointing to the mark hardly visible beneath the sleeve of his t-shirt.

Sasuke didn't say anything. Not even something clever or cruel. It was strange.

"Come on," was what he finally decided on.

Naruto decided that was the best reply he was going to get, and clambered onto Sasuke's back, amazed at how strong Sasuke was considering his skinniness.

Sasuke leaped from the building and Naruto closed his eyes, not opening them until he was sure there was footing beneath his tennis shoes.

When his feet touched solid ground, his eyes drifted open and his breath caught in his throat.

He was on board the ship.

* * *

**a/n:** I think it was around the time that Naruto commented on Sasuke hiding in the alleyway that I laughed out loud, and a table busser at Panera gave me the strangest look. But then I did that thing where you get embarrassed and suddenly suck your expression back to an extremely awkward straight face, and we stared at each other for a good five seconds before I'm positive she decided I'm a weirdo. She booked it away from my corner faster than Star Wars light speed, yo'.

**INNER WORKINGS of SLUMBERLAND:**

Uuuummmmm, what was I going to say. Oh! So, it's kind of rare that I talk in depth about 'omg, how i see my chapters and here beith my thought process', but I usually see all of this story from Naruto's view, but there was _one_ scene in here where I had Sasuke!flash! It was after Sasuke had woken up and Naruto was taking off to go find some clothing, and after he stepped out into the sun Sasuke called his name.

I think in that moment, Sasuke, this arrogant guy who really has no respect for humans (despite rescuing Naruto on a whim), saw Naruto's attraction. Earlier, Naruto was kind of thinking about seeing the world through a box...he was sitting in the shadows and staring out to the tiny view he had of the sunlit world, and it was kind of a metaphor--since this story is based off of Greek things I thought I'd throw a bit of the Allegory of a Cave in there. But I imagined, from Sasuke's point of view, when Naruto stepped out of the shadows and into the sun, he was so different, and his eyes were suddenly so blue and magnetic, that the tiny box that was inferred before widened a little, and Sasuke couldn't really do much but tell Naruto to be careful. Of course Naruto's a little dense so he took it as an insult, but I don't blame him. Sasuke's a bit cold, though not without reason.

But earlier when I was writing how pale Neji and Hinata looked, I wondered what Naruto would seem like to Sasuke. I was thinking that...despite Sasuke being the more powerful half, I guess you could say, Naruto's kind of the one with more determination and conviction. So I think that Naruto looked strong to Sasuke in that one moment, but you know, you can only hint so much when you're following one character's pov.

And that's my thinking for the day, hahaha. If you guys like my inner workings I can totally post more in the future. I never know if readers are interested in story-related ramblings or if it's kind of a turn off, so I get all shy and just live in my own little fantasy land.

Thank you very much for reading. I love all of the feedback and I'm really happy that so many of you like this scenario I've come up with...because it's really fun to write. Thank you thank you thank you for feeding my inspiration.


	6. Chapter 6

**Slumberland**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle

**Comments:** Wow! Thank you for all of the feedback! I was definitely not expecting so many people to review or reply, LOL. I suddenly feel loved. Since everybody likes hearing me ramble, I'll make it a habit in my author's notes at the end. Until then, enjoy.

* * *

**Part 6**

It was everything Naruto expected it to be, and nothing he could have ever imagined. He had seen a few science fiction films before and none of them came close to the immaculate interior of the ship. Even in the small hallway where he was standing, every single bit of detail seemed new to him; nothing was familiar at all.

Naruto drifted towards the wall closest to him, his lips parted in fascination. It was almost as if the wall was coated in glass; a thick and resilient crystal that served to magnify the cold grays and pristine whites of the material behind it. The surface was so incredibly smooth that Naruto's hand drifted towards it, the pads of his fingers aching for a touch.

It was cold.

That thought only lasted a moment, however, before the entire wall lit up. There were suddenly buttons everywhere, flat against the glass, like the surface was an enormous touch screen. Neon green veins of energy flared beneath the glass and Naruto stepped backwards, bumping into Sasuke.

"Don't touch anything," Sasuke snapped, and Naruto watched as the wall returned to how it had been originally, completely clear and lifeless. It was fascinating. Almost as if it only came alive when it was being used.

Neji made a comment that seemed a little snide and Naruto had a feeling it had something to do with how enraptured he looked. Sasuke was content to ignore it, but stepped away from Naruto regardless in order to continue down the hallway. The rest of the group followed in suit and Naruto stumbled along behind, still in awe of everything around him.

There was a whooshing sound, and Naruto looked up in time to see a heavy metal door vanish into the ceiling, allowing them to enter a much larger common room. His attention was drawn upward towards an enormous glass dome that topped off the space, the moon hanging like a speckled ornament in the pitch black sky outside. It was so close that Naruto felt as though he could reach out and touch it, maybe even hold the glowing star in the palm of his hand.

"Stop dreaming," Sasuke's voice was cold, and Naruto felt the surrealism of the moment fade away. He looked over towards the three aliens, and his fascination was drowned by a moment that time would never be able to erase.

They looked so different from him, standing on the opposite side of the room, watching him with looks of both interest and annoyance. He felt like he was a child again, discovering something new and shiny, something he didn't want to let go of.

Naruto glanced around again, trying to remember as much as he could. There were no guarantees that he would ever be able to see any of this again, and that thought chewed away at him. The floors were immaculately white, and bright overhead lights were seated firmly above the crystaline wall panels, their glow too gentle for any light bulb or florescent he had ever seen.

The digitized glass had continued alone the walls of this new room, and when Naruto looked down, he realized that the floor was almost like plexiglass beneath his feet. Only instead of that luxurious metal beneath it, he saw straight down—directly to the city below.

Stumbling backwards until his hands found the wall behind him, Naruto scanned the metropolis freckled in various blinking lights—the few buildings with emergency breakers still pulsing despite the power outage. As soon as his fingers met with the glass surface of the wall, the entirety of the circular room took on a hazy glow as the touch screens flared to life. The sound shocked Naruto, and he jumped forward and spun around.

The glass display looked like it was processing information, and after a short second, a photograph appeared. It was a picture of him as a child, waiting outside of a convenience store—like a scene frozen in time. Like one taken in secret, a photo he had no knowledge of.

Naruto watched as more pictures flooded the screen circulating the whole of the room. Pictures of him in on the street, walking to work, others of him in his college classes, a few of him when he was an infant. Candid stills from cameras he had never known existed; a computerized file all his own.

It was his life, written on a wall.

More and more pictures suffocated the screen, so many that he forced himself to step backwards, shocked into a momentary awe. Things he himself didn't remember doing. Naruto felt his breathing come fast, wondering how research to this extent was possible. Why there was an inventory of his life for anyone to study.

"What _is_ this…" Naruto leaned forward, wanting to touch the still images in a sort of validation, ignoring the fact he saw both Neji and Sasuke approaching him from the side. When his finger met the glass he heard a clicking noise, followed by an automated voice speaking in the language he didn't understand.

But he _did_ hear his name.

Naruto Uzumaki.

Sasuke grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and shoved him backwards, any sense of camaraderie they may had developed gone in only an instant. Naruto wasn't sure why Sasuke looked so furious when it was _his_ life that painted the glass walls around them. It was like the city had thousands of cameras, everywhere, like they had been watching him his entire life…

"What is it saying?" Naruto asked, referring to the gentle voice still echoing in the room. Neji was working on stopping the automated response, his fingers moving deftly across the screen in a practiced precision, hitting all of the right buttons until the images began to fade away.

Sasuke released Naruto roughly, not bothering to answer. When he turned to walk away, Naruto grabbed his coat and yanked him backwards, completely serious.

"I asked you a question," Naruto bit out, a little worn with Sasuke's mood swings. He didn't care if Sasuke was angry at him; there was no reason that ship should have any type of profile of him, documenting his life, since he was more than positive that was _exactly_ what it was. Sasuke smacked Naruto's hand so hard that Naruto hissed, releasing the coat and clutching it to his chest.

"You don't have any rights here," Sasuke's tone was enough to make a shiver run the length of Naruto's spine. It wasn't enough to dull Naruto's frustration however, even though he found himself unable to argue.

"Is there something like that for everyone? For every human?" he asked instead, trying to wean the growl from his voice. His efforts were failed. It made him feel uncomfortable that this place knew everything about him; about everyone. He had a feeling that it wasn't just his life the aliens knew about.

Sasuke turned around, suddenly looking much taller and much more intimidating than Naruto remembered him being. Naruto wasn't afraid of him, only slightly incensed.

Sasuke snorted. "Don't you think you're lucky to already know as much as you do?"

Naruto _was_ lucky. He knew a lot more than a lot of people could ever hope to. But still, it wasn't enough.

Sasuke didn't leave such a cold comment hanging in the air alone. "It's useless to question things you'll never understand."

Naruto nodded, still uncomfortable with his own silence but feeling far from any position to argue. What could he honestly do, even if the ship _did_ have tabs on every human being?

Hinata walked over to the two of them and said something softly to Sasuke before taking Naruto's hand in her own, afterwards leading him towards the center of the gigantic room. Sasuke didn't seem to have any arguments which left Naruto with no choice but to obey. His only consolation was Hinata's kindness; out of the three people he was with, she seemed the most accepting, which was an interesting thought considering Naruto knew nothing about her at all.

She said something to him and searched his eyes for understanding, and sadly, all he could do was stare blankly back. Hinata glanced back to where Sasuke was standing he spoke for her, in English.

"Don't speak unless you are addressed."

Naruto nodded slowly, feeling unsure. Who were the elders, to be so important? Were they the strongest of the aliens? Were they any different—creatures that didn't look human at all?

Naruto felt his palms grow sweaty as a gravity settled in the room. It was oddly silent to him, but he knew his nerves were alive with worry. His throat was dry as he swallowed and the sound was loud in his ears.

In the center of the room there were two large panes of glass suspended from the dome above. They were extremely thin and wide, and Naruto found himself squinting to take them in. He hadn't seen them at first, simply because they were so clean and immaculate that they blended in with everything surrounded. He saw the chords that bound them now, stretching up to the ceiling, barely visible to the human eye.

Hinata pressed her finger to the floating panel and it lit up, and the display reminded Naruto of a television set. She stepped backwards and motioned for Naruto to stay put, and before he could stop himself, he stole a glance a Sasuke, wishing that he had some idea of what was going on.

"Naruto Uzumaki."

The voice made Naruto's bones feel like jumping out of his skin. It was warped and on the panel before him he saw audio waves flicker from the sound. His attention flew back to the hanging monitor, his eyes wide. He paused, leaving just enough time for Sasuke to make an irritable sound from behind, one that urged him to reply.

Naruto raised an eyebrow at the flat screen. "Yes?"

The voice came alive again, and so did the rippling audio frequency before him. Naruto had to strain his ears to understand, the English accent so bizarre and archaic that it made the language sound foreign altogether.

"Do you understand the purpose of your presence here?"

Naruto continued to stare blankly at the screen, even as the audio visual faded to a flat line. He turned his head towards Sasuke and felt his expression change from nervous to skeptical.

He frowned. "Your elder is a window pane?"

Of course he knew better; there was someone speaking to him from an undisclosed location. But he had mentally prepared himself to speak to something in person. Face-to-face. With honor and humility, and everything else that made meeting someone in person invaluable. What he hadn't expected was talking to a hovering computer monitor.

Sasuke looked furious. The question was repeated.

"Do you understand why you are in need of our council?" the screen flared and then flat-lined, and Naruto wasn't sure how to answer. He heard Sasuke shift behind him, and knew that his silence was being weighed.

"Because I'm involved, I guess," he replied honestly. "I know about your people. I've seen them, and now...I've been on board your ship."

For a moment Naruto felt like he had said too much, because the voice didn't comment right away. He felt nervous. He wasn't sure what they wanted to hear from him; how much information was too much information...if there were things better left unsaid for Sasuke's sake.

"Naruto Uzumaki," the voice began, its tone heavy with degradation, "…let it be known that you are in no way considered a danger to us. You are human. You are weak. The only threat posed by your existence is your acquaintance with a certain member of the Uchiha family."

Even though his nerves made his breathing uneven, there was an anger that contributed to it as well. Though he was only human, he wasn't worthless. He opened his mouth to speak, but the voice of the elder interrupted his own.

"The reason you are here is to determine whether or not your encounter with Sasuke Uchiha was intentional or merely a coincidence."

From behind Naruto, Sasuke spoke and his voice calm and collected. "I have never sought out the Others, nor have I ever had any intention to do so. This human is meaningless to me."

Naruto turned his head slightly to gage Sasuke's expression, and saw the seriousness in his eyes. It was difficult to tell if he meant what he was saying. Naruto pursed his lips, deciding that he would follow the alien's lead, simply because he trusted Sasuke's way of defending himself. Before he could add his own opinion, the elder spoke.

"The opinion of an Uchiha is hardly valued," the voice said, and Naruto found himself turning back towards the screen, offended for Sasuke's sake. Kakashi had said something about the Uchiha clan falling from grace, but...Sasuke wasn't deceitful. Naruto didn't know him that well, but he knew him enough to know that, at least.

"It was a coincidence that we were in the same place," Naruto grit his teeth, and he heard the agitation in his tone. "You shouldn't blame him for the fact I'm _weak_ and _human_ and can't defend myself."

Naruto felt the room turn cold, and he was positive that it was Sasuke's disposition that caused it. He was so offended for both himself and Sasuke that he didn't regret his comment.

His sarcasm was either ignored or dismissed as the screen livened up.

"It has been reported that Naruto Uzumaki has had an encounter with another Uchiha. Would you like to explain this?"

Naruto could tell his face looked strained as he struggled to understand the English. He assumed the elder was referring to Itachi, and he turned around and looked questioningly at Sasuke, unsure of what to say. Neji and Hinata were standing dutifully by his side, and Naruto knew right away that it had been one of them that reported the event.

Sasuke remained quiet, and Naruto wondered if it was the elder's earlier words that kept his own statement at bay. Deciding to try and quell the situation as best he could, Naruto turned back to face the screen.

"I've never met Itachi before now," Naruto stated, his eyes narrowing. After a moment's thought, he wondered if the elder believed that there was some sort of Uchiha conspiracy going on. It was pretty obvious to him that Sasuke and Itachi didn't get along, but maybe Kakashi had been right. Maybe the Uchiha family really was doubted that much.

When the screen lit up again, the elder spoke in the aliens' native-tongue, and Naruto failed to grasp even a tiny bit of what it was they were saying. It was Neji that responded, followed by Hinata. Sasuke remained quiet, and when Naruto briefly glanced at him, he could tell that there was a great effort being put into his silence.

The voice switched back to English. "You are in luck, human, that the power outage your government instilled has temporarily disabled our information systems. Your luck is not in that, however, it is in the fact that you have to superior members of the Hyuuga family to vouch for your character."

Naruto frowned. He assumed the 'information system' had something to do with all of the pictures he had seen of himself. Some sort of global tracking—it was like the city had cameras hidden all throughout it, tracking everyone and everything. The elder's statement repeated in his mind, and got caught at one particular part.

"What do you mean by the power outage _my_ government instilled?" Naruto asked, raising an eyebrow. It had been the ship that had drowned out the power, hadn't it? So that the aliens could invade without being noticed.

Sasuke shifted and Naruto felt the already discomforting feeling in the room grow larger. "Be quiet," Sasuke said to him, and the comment was so soft that it seemed barely above a commanding whisper. It was too late, however, because the elder was already responding.

"Do not expect me to parent you to intelligence," was the reply, cold and harsh. Naruto grit his teeth and found his fists balling. The fact he was human didn't mean he was stupid. Misinformed, maybe. For Sasuke's sake, he kept his mouth shut.

There was a long pause before the glass lit up again and the distorted voice filled the common room. Naruto hadn't realized how cold the voice was until it echoed around him, making goosebumps crawl on his skin.

"Sasuke Uchiha, why did you not kill Itachi Uchiha?"

The question made Naruto shrink back. He didn't want Sasuke to get into any trouble on his behalf. Not that he was entirely responsible for what had happened with Sasuke's brother.

"It was not something that I had been given an order to do," Sasuke replied smoothly. Even though he hadn't struggled to find an appropriate answer, Naruto could hear the despondence in his tone.

"In the past calendar year, you have disregarded a number of pre-disclosed orders. You were permitted to attend this particular mission under the pretense that you would assist Neji Hyuuga and Hinata Hyuuga in their given tasks. _Coincidently, _you also happened to brand the human Naruto Uzumaki. Should we also find coincidence in _this_ situation; in the fact you allowed your outlawed brother to live, even after his attempts on two Others _and_ two members of the elite Hyuuga family?"

Naruto's eyes slimmed, trying to make sense of the accusation. Were they implying that it had been Sasuke's intention to find him _and_ to encounter his brother?

"I can assure you, both matters were perfectly _coincidental_," Sasuke drawled.

There was another lengthy pause, almost as if the elder was tying to decide if Sasuke was telling the truth. "What was the purpose of Itachi Uchiha's confrontation with you, Naruto Uzumaki?"

Naruto blinked, stuck for a moment while he tried to decide what was safe for him to say. His silence must have lasted for too long because Sasuke spoke for him.

"He was curious," he stated, his voice almost mocking. "He wanted to meet the human you'd invited here. The one connected to me."

"Is this true?"

Naruto had a feeling that the question was aimed for him since he hadn't the chance to respond to the first one. He nodded before he realized that he probably couldn't be seen. "Yes…"

There was another long pause before the elder's voice infiltrated the room again, the electronic undertones contrasting the natural sight of the moon and stars that shone down from above.

"We wish to see the mark."

Naruto frowned. He hadn't been aware there were multiple people listening to this conversation. He also hadn't known that they were being watched, although he figured he should have assumed as much considering his entire life had seemingly been recorded.

His hand subconsciously traveled up to meet his sleeve-covered scar and he didn't want to reveal it. Naruto suddenly felt nervous; almost like they had asked him to do something extremely intimate. He started to pull up his shirt regardless, thinking that he didn't want to get himself into any trouble, despite his feelings about the request.

"Don't," Sasuke said suddenly, and Naruto felt the mark heat up when Sasuke's hand curled around his own, preventing his sleeve from being pulled up any further. Sasuke stared directly at the floating monitor and looked livid.

"What you do to him affects me," he stated. "You already know that the mark is mine. What more are you trying to prove?"

Neji pulled Sasuke back and Hinata took hold of Naruto's wrist, doing her best to imply that there was nothing to be feared. Naruto wasn't too sure about that no matter how kind the look in her eyes was. Sasuke wasn't letting Naruto go and Neji was barking at him pretty furiously; Naruto shook himself away from all three of them and spoke over the commotion.

"If you're worried about the connection or whatever," Naruto called it that because he didn't know what else to name it, "I hardly feel it. Itachi did something to it."

Sasuke stopped struggling and raised an eyebrow, looking like this was new information to him. What Naruto admitted was true, however. The feelings he had felt after Sasuke and his first encounter had been numbed ever since Itachi had affected the mark.

"He did what?" Sasuke asked, but the elder was already responding to Naruto's comment.

"Show us."

Naruto saw Sasuke move forward from behind him but he obeyed anyway, feeling confident in his decision. The mark was like a swirled tattoo on his skin, and instead of just a swirl being there, two tiny marks decorated its top and bottom. Itachi's doing.

"Fascinating."

Sasuke yanked Naruto back and before anyone else reacted, the elder's voice came through once again, echoing in the room. "We will debate."

The audio waves thinned to a straight line, and before Naruto had a chance to understand what was going on, Sasuke pulled him backwards and whipped him around. Naruto wrestled out of his grip, glaring up at the other man.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked, rubbing his shoulder. Sasuke looked infuriated, and Naruto assumed that the elders were no longer listening. Neji looked uncaring but Hinata's eyes were wide, contemplation showing in her eyes. She was wondering if she should intervene.

Sasuke nearly growled. "What did he do to it?" He was referring to the mark, but Naruto refused to show it to him.

Naruto stared blankly with a dissolute irritation. "How am I supposed to know? I don't even know what it is myself."

Sasuke didn't seem to care about Naruto's emotions in the matter, not that Naruto had expected him to. "Do you realize what they'll do to you if they think you've acted against them? Did Kakashi even tell you _that_ much?"

Naruto exhaled and glared skeptically at Sasuke. "Of course he did. They'll take my soul or something. And you can't act against something you don't understand." Naruto couldn' figure out how Itachi screwing with the mark made _him_ a sort of betrayer.

Sasuke didn't look like he felt at all resolved by Naruto's conclusion. They both seemed to reach an impasse, and were strangely quiet. At least until Naruto spoke up again, barely above a whisper, just in case the elder was still listening. There was another thought still lingering in his mind.

"Why would my government create the power outage?"

Naruto wasn't sure if Sasuke would answer his question. He looked irritated and his response seemed practiced. "There are things humans are not allowed to know."

Naruto felt annoyed. "That's not an answer."

Sasuke looked distracted for a moment, and his features didn't look quite as harsh. "If things were different I would be able to tell you."

Naruto wondered what that meant. What did 'different' entail? If they weren't soulmates? Or if he wasn't human?

"A decision has been reached," the elder sounded, and both Naruto and Sasuke's attention snapped to the digitized glass. "Naruto Uzumaki will face no punishment for the events that have taken place. Sasuke Uchiha, you will be suspended until further interrogation. Naruto Uzumaki."

Naruto stared at the screen and raised an eyebrow, trying to hide the fact he was curious as to what kind of suspension Sasuke had been placed under. "Yes?"

"Our punishments for betrayal are not pleasant. We are not a forgiving species; we didn not inherit the stupidity of your culture. Never seek out Sasuke Uchiha again. If you come into contact with him, you will learn firsthand just _what_ power we have over feeble human spirits such as yours."

Naruto's eyebrows scrunched together, feeling animosity instead of fear. The voice continued, this time addressing his counterpart.

"Sasuke Uchiha. You are to report to your superior after you say your farewell. Do not take long. You, I am sure, understand your position."

Sasuke nodded slowly. "Ah."

And as quickly as the meeting with the elders had begun, it ended.

"That's it?" Naruto questioned. "That's really…how it ends?"

"What did you expect?" There was an undertone in Sasuke's voice that almost sounded sad. "You are human. Nothing more. Nothing valued."

Naruto felt the weight of everything settle onto him. He didn't know what he had expected, but through his disappointment, he wondered if he had somehow hoped this wouldn't be the conclusion. How could he just move forward like nothing had ever happened? Like Sasuke didn't exist?

"Can you make me forget?" Naruto asked, feeling a little childish for asking. He could feel it already; the memories haunting him. Wishing he knew more, wondering what could have been. From what Kakashi had said, there had already been one invasion of sorts before…and no one seemed to remember that. Could Sasuke take it all away?

"I don't want you to forget," Sasuke replied, and Naruto felt his eyes widen. He wondered he was witnessing a humanity in Sasuke he hadn't yet known existed, but the comment wasn't what he thought. Sasuke's disposition changed in an instant.

"I want you to remember my face so that you never come near me again."

Naruto felt the mark on his arm tingle uncomfortably and his expression fell. He wondered if Sasuke was willing to say cruel things just to get him to leave. To not get into anymore trouble. Just what was a 'suspension' anyway? "You're a really cold person, you know," he stated, folding his arms across his chest. "Pretending like it's easy to just forget any of this happened and just…fly away, or whatever."

Remaining expressionless, Sasuke's lips moved only lightly to reply. "I don't have to pretend. You're...not worth remembering."

The words hurt Naruto's pride more than anything else. He _knew_ Sasuke didn't mean them. Sure, he was just an average guy who happened to get caught up in something he would never have imagined probable…but Sasuke had _also_ made the choice to let him live. Naruto narrowed his eyes. "Not worth remembering…but I was worth saving?"

Sasuke blinked and Naruto knew his comment had caught the other off guard.

"Protecting you was a mistake."

More words that Naruto didn't believe. What Sasuke was doing now was protecting him. The look in Sasuke's eyes was so distant that Naruto felt like if he looked down to his arm, the mark wouldn't exist at all. Was this really how things were meant to be? His gut felt empty, like is entire being was struggling to stay in this moment, silently begging for it not to end.

When it ended…Naruto didn't know who he would be.

Neji came forward, and Naruto knew why. It was because he had to go back. He had to go back, and Sasuke wasn't allowed to be the one to take him. Sasuke wasn't looking at him, and Naruto's expression fell.

"Well, I don't want you to forget me either," Naruto stepped towards Neji, but not before throwing a glance back to Sasuke. "I don't want you to forget this face," he pointed to his own, "you know, the one you'll never see again."

It felt wrong walking away, but Naruto didn't want Sasuke to have the last word. He wanted to feel strong; he didn't want to look as broken as he felt, just turning away from something so incredible, preparing himself for a lifetime of wondering if everything had been a dream.

Naruto's eyes met with Neji's and there was a silent understanding for him to follow. He obeyed it, feeling like every step forward was a step backwards; like every time he got closer to returning to Earth, the further he got from anything familiar.

How was that possible?

The mark hurt, but he decided he was just imagining it. Like everything in his life, the good moments came and went faster than he could find a way to grasp them. Before he realized it, Naruto was at the beginning of the hallway he had arrived in, and Neji was staring at him, trying to read his expression.

A strong arm gripped him as the floor gave way beneath them, Naruto's stomach climbing to his throat as they fell, unguarded, to the rooftop of a building not too far below. When his feet touched pavement, Naruto realized he was clinging to Neji like a petrified cat and threw himself away. Neji looked amused, and Naruto found himself frowning.

Another awkward moment, considering neither of them really knew how to say goodbye to each other. Neji curtly nodded and turned back, and in that one instant, Naruto felt like a chapter in his life had suddenly ended. Or disappeared. The pages ripped out and sent scattering in the wind, lost in the illusion of a spaceship, invisible when paired with the lonely dimness of night.

He turned around himself and walked towards the upper-level emergency door that would lead him to the inner staircase of the skyscraper. The wind was cold against his skin and his fingers wrapped around the handle of the door. Like Sasuke from his life, he disappeared.

***

"Uzumaki, I know you're home," the voice was fuzzy to Naruto as he peered out sleepily from beneath his bedding, the sun soaking his bedroom in a scorching haze. "You called about any open positions and you're in luck. We need a translator for a conference at three o'clock his afternoon. But if you're just going to sleep all day—"

Naruto scrambled to grab the receiver of his telephone and nearly mashed it against his cheek. "I'm awake, I'm awake…"

The voice on the other end sounded appeased. "Good. You need to get out of that apartment. Do something with your life. It's been a good few months since the city's circuits blew, and you're still creeping around like—"

"I know, I know, I'll be there on time," Naruto promised, and he hung up, not waiting for anymore jabs a how he had stuck around, even when the city had been asleep and devoid of any life. He rolled onto his back and rubbed some sleep from his eyes, wondering how much longer he'd be able to keep is apartment when the Marquis' need for translators had severely dimmed.

The clock read nearly two, and Naruto inwardly groaned. He supposed that he should be grateful for any work at all, but he wasn't the type of person who enjoyed a good rush. Especially when he had promised to be on time.

He crawled out of bed and showered and then listened to his downstairs neighbors argue as he got dressed. It was a dull roar through the floorboards and he wondered how two people who were apparently so different could still stand to love each other.

By two-thirty he was out the door, work clothes packed in a backpack he had slung over his shoulder. The sun had been unreasonable lately, but it could have been that Naruto had grown attached to the upper-level streets and used them instead of the subway.

He had only had a few jobs previous to this one, and he had more luck at arriving to work on time when he followed Main Street up a few blocks to the familiar edifice of his employment. His new habit of being punctual had led his boss to fuss over him, and a few people that Naruto had seen on occasion in the building had concocted their own stories about why he had suddenly changed.

Naruto let them believe what they wanted.

After all, none of them remembered a thing. According to the world, the city had merely suffered a massive circuit shortage, and no one believed anything differently.

Naruto was working hard to believe that same story as well.

The sun felt like it was searing his skin, but he welcomed the feeling over the coldness that the shadows from buildings casted. He picked up his pace when he realized that he was out with the midday crowds, wanting to make good on arriving on time. It only took him ten minutes to get to the Marquis, and when he entered, the new receptionist gave him a welcoming smile.

Naruto returned it and drifted to the employee bathroom in order to change, wiping a few beads of sweat from his brow. It was a quick jump from jeans to polyester trousers, and he pulled a nice collared shirt over the t-shirt he already had on. He ran some water through his hair to give it a stylized roughness and stared at his reflection.

He didn't look like himself. These days, he hardly ever did.

Stepping away from the counter and dismissing the thought, he stuffed his casual clothes into his backpack and picked it up, making his way to the elevators. Conferences were all held on the thirtieth floor now, in the nicest room the building had to offer. He thought about something _not_ flashing emergency lights as the door drifted open, knowing he was just in time as his boss greeted him with a slug on the back.

"Look at this," the older man laughed. "On time again! If we had the business we used to, I'd give you a raise!"

Naruto stared blankly at his manager as he laughed out loud at his own joke.

"Naruto, you're still working here?"

The voice caught Naruto by surprise and he turned around, his eyes widening when he was met with a face he hadn't really thought to ever see again.

"Kiba?" he knew he looked like he felt. Shocked and weary. The last time he had seen Kiba…

"Well, yeah. Who'd you think it was?" the brunet grinned, one corner of his lips curving up higher than the other.

Naruto felt a certain relief pour over him. "You're alright," he almost sighed. His heart started beating erratically, until Kiba's expression looked a little lost.

"I mean, so many people were evacuated that I honestly had no clue who'd be coming back," Naruto tried to fix. Kiba patted him on the shoulder, but there was something in the way he looked at Naruto that made him uncomfortable.

"_Not_ come back to an internship that pays this well? You're crazy," Kiba laughed, and their boss cleared his throat, trying to hint that the conference was about to begin. Naruto nodded and gave Kiba a skeptical look before turning to follow his manager into the room.

Kiba followed as well, only he headed to the back of the room, his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the back wall to listen in. Naruto did his best to ignore the fact Kiba was staring at him, even when his expression seemed fairly vacant.

His boss began as soon as the doors closed, and the round table of clients hushed, turning their attention to the front of the room.

"Welcome, welcome. We are here to discuss a new product from our company…"

Naruto repeated his employer's words in French, his attention fading away as he fell into automatic mode. He saw the clients nodding as he tried to imitate his boss' enthusiasm, but he found his attention drifting to the gigantic bay window that overlooked the city outside.

The sky was surprisingly blue, a crystal color that was extremely rare. It was because the city had been pollution free for a short period of time, Naruto thought to himself, enjoying the contrast between the puffy white clouds and cobalt horizon. Even though the window was tinted, the sun still crept in.

Naruto blinked when the room suddenly darkened and stopped midsentence. It was just like before. _Any minute now the power would go out and the city would turn black and_--his breathing hastened and he felt his eyes grow wide, but as quickly as the sun had dimmed it returned; a cloud had merely drifted in front of it.

"Naruto?"

Naruto snapped his attention back to his boss and opened his mouth, only to close it again. He shook his head, trying to dispel the emotions that had overwhelmed him.

"Yes, I'm sorry. Keep going," he answered, his voice a little shaky. The man beside him looked skeptical but continued regardless, and Naruto focused as much as he could on his job and not his wandering imagination.

He glanced around to take in the people listening to him, all of them still nodding at the valid points he repeated, and his attention drifted up to Kiba.

There had not been one moment when Kiba had stopped staring at him.

The job only lasted a little over an hour and Naruto's legs were hurting by the end. He worked to introduce the clients to his boss at the end, working his charming personality as best as he was able to in order to get some sales. When the room was finally close to emptying he stayed behind, a feeling building in his gut.

"Naruto, are you coming to the dinner?" his employer asked him, and Naruto paused before shaking his head.

"Sorry, I have plans," he lied. His boss pouted but shrugged, looking like his normally energetic self before disappearing into the outer hallway along with the leaving clientele. A couple of minutes passed, and only Naruto and one other person were left in the room.

"Kiba," Naruto met his friend's eyes, his entire being feeling weary. "Do you remember?"

Kiba came closer to him, his eyes looking oddly playful. "Do you really have plans tonight?"

Naruto frowned, feeling a little strange. "No. I just said that."

Kiba grinned and took hold of Naruto's wrist. "Great. Be at my place at six."

Naruto jogged behind Kiba as he left the room, feeling a sudden rush of an emotion he didn't recognize at the possibility that someone else remembered what really happened.

Someone else knew that what he remembered hadn't been a dream.

"Kiba—" Naruto paused when Kiba jammed his foot in front of the elevator door, holding it open before he got on. He glanced back at Naruto, his expression still something that made Naruto nervous rather than comforted.

"…what are we going to do?"

Kiba's smile was canine. "Hunt."

Naruto's stomach tightened as Kiba disappeared onto the elevator, but before the door closed all of the way, he heard is friend's voice.

"Don't be late."

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**a/n:** Hullo! Crazy chapter, I know, and I also know it felt like it blew by. It was still as long as the last one though, crazily enough. I guess a lot more happened, haha.

This chapter was SUPER hard to write. I think that's because I've been more excited for Slumberland Part TWO, which has finally kicked in. And you know how I always follow Naruto's pov? I'm thinking that I may need to do a few parts following Sasuke. It's really hard when I manage to do an entire story from Naruto's pov and then get to a part where I'm like, 'damn, writing from sasuke's pov right now would be soooo coooooool'. Dagh. I dunno. Let me know what you guys think?

But yes, I've planned out the next two chapters after this one, so hoorah!

I also think this chapter was hard to write because sci-fi stuff is kind of difficult. It's really hard to think up something new and shiny, especially when ever time I think 'spaceship' I see Independence Day or Star Trek in my head. But I like the idea of gigantic empty rooms where the walls are ginormous computers. And touch screens! OMG before I die I really want to manipulate a giant touch screen like in Minority Report!!!

Okay, moving on.

I know the first part of the second part (haha) probably seems fast but I had to jump ahead. Naruto's been trying to forget, which you can kind of tell...I hinted a little bit. He won't take the subway anymore and he just washes away any feelings or memories he has. Kiba kind of makes it inescapable though. Kiba has changed, too.

Sasuke, on the other hand, probably had the tougher role. He really just wants out of the situation. Suspension will be explained down the road...it's not pretty, but he'll survive. Like always, the cruel things he says have purpose. And Naruto got a little bit of a grip on him, so don't worry, Naruto understands that Sasuke needs to do what he needs to do.

It doesn't mean he likes it though. And a lot of questions he had on the spaceship weren't answered which of course is intentional too. All a part of the bigger picture...for part two! YAYY. But really, a lot of this and more will come up in the next chapter.

It's going to get really really actioney from here on out. I'm so excited. I'm sure this chapter seemed all quick too because I've just been so excited for all the stuff to come. I am super lame. Everyone left at my job knows about this story and they throw me ideas here and there, and ones that don't make all the sense in the world but crack me up. One of my managers was like, "One of the elder things should die and there will be a coffin and...you know, they bought it from Walmart. You know Walmart sells coffins, right? Only maybe, so you won't get sued, it can be called 'Walmarte'."

After I stared at him blankly I laughed really hard.

I'll be able to say more after the next chapter. Also, there's a poll on my profile so...please check it out?

Thank you, guys!

OH! And** DONATE MONEY TO THE RED CROSS**!!! If you text haiti to 90999 you can donate $10 to them, and it'll just show up on your phone bill. I wish I could do more than just give money...the people there really need relief and help and if we all do our part we can save lives.

Love to you all. Over and out!


	7. Chapter 7

**Slumberland**

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**Author: **Ladelle

**Comments: **Thank you for all of your reviews. I have successfully relocated and have uber amounts of time for writing…and am incredibly happy about that. You guys keep me going!

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**Part 7:**

Naruto wasn't really sure why he had decided to show.

The sun had already started to disappear behind the curtain of city sky-risers, the winter month cueing the hours of night to come earlier. It was cooler than usual, but the change was welcomed, especially after such an arduous summer.

Naruto had more time searching for his address book than deciding on something relative to wear to whatever this _hunt_ could be. It was only when he was nearly to Kiba's apartment that he realized he still had on the clothes he had worn to work, looking more than presentable in a nice pair of polyester trousers and a button-up shirt.

The apartment building was vastly different from Naruto's. It was always amazing how a neighborhood could change between a few streets, and while it had taken Naruto a good twenty minutes to walk the distance, in reality, their homes weren't that far apart.

Somehow the night traffic had trickled down to nothing, and only scattered clumps of people seemed to litter the streets, bathed in only the light of giraffe-neck lamps settled above the road. The men were crude and the women were too flirtatious, barely clothed and mouthing invitations that Naruto didn't care enough to listen to. Instead he held his address book like it was a novel he was engrossed in, lifting his head every once-in-a-while to make sure his pathway was clear.

He ducked inside the front entryway of the apartment building and found his way to a staircase and jogged up to the third level. As he reached for the door handle the lights flickered on and off, and he paused, his heart leaping into his throat.

A dream tugged at his mind—the remnants of images; a power outage, a sun disappeared and a frightening journey through a pitch black city.

Swallowing the memory, Naruto pulled the door open. Glancing back down to his book, he then searched the apartment doors, looking for the one that matched. When he found it, he realized that he was completely anxious. His hands were shaking and he could feel his chest rising and falling rhythmically against the cotton of his undershirt.

He knocked.

The wait seemed too long, but only because Naruto was debating his escape his entire time. If he left now, he could pretend like he had forgotten, or had fallen asleep at home…he would apologize to Kiba later. Naruto could walk away and try to forget.

But he had already done that once.

The door struggled against its frame before jerking open, and Naruto raised an eyebrow when he was met with a very pretty face. The woman before him was slender and sultry in her movements, her hazel eyes appraising him like he had been called over as some form of entertainment. Her hair, lush and brunette, was pulled high onto her head into two symmetrical buns, a few loose strands roving against her cheeks.

She clicked her teeth and frowned before twisting back to lean against the door, allowing Naruto to enter. When she spoke, her voice carried. "Kiba!"

Naruto shifted idly to the side so that she could close the door behind him, his hands still curled around his address book. He had expected a bit more of a warm welcome. He waited for his friend to appear, feeling the woman's eyes scrutinizing him as he let his eyes wander the expanse of the living room, curious as to how Kiba lived.

The apartment was clean, except for some take-out remnants that littered the living room table. There was a teenager on the couch, flipping through channels before even waiting to see what was on, a bandana around his head and a huge wad of gum moving deftly between his lips.

"Naruto!" Kiba's voice almost sang, and the volume of it made Naruto jump. He looked more impressed than anything else, and slowly, Naruto lowered his hands to his sides, tucking his address book into his back pocket.

"I don't know," the girl said, still eyeing Naruto skeptically as Kiba came into the room. "He looks a little skittish."

"I think he looks like a pansy," the teenager said from the couch, though his eyes hadn't left the television set.

Frowning, Kiba moved to invite Naruto further into the apartment, which lacked enough furniture to look homey. "He took one on single-handedly," he pointed out, locking eyes with the woman defensively.

The television set froze on a channel, and Naruto watched a sticky pink bubble explode on the boy's face. The teenager peeled the remnants from his nose and scrambled up, his eyes wide as he viewed Naruto in a new light.

Feeling the weight of his lips drawn downwards, Naruto let his eyebrows furrow. "I didn't do any—"

"He still looks skittish," the woman interrupted and she slinked away, shoving the teenager to the side so she would have room on the couch beside him. The room was silent and Kiba seemed to be appraising him, more so than he had done earlier at the office.

"Do you remember, Naruto?" Kiba asked, finally tugging him forward, _making_ him join the others in the living area.

"Of course I do," he replied, his eyes narrowing, trying to feel like he wasn't being interrogated. For a moment his defenses fell, and all he could do was relive that short period of time. He had always wondered where Kiba had gone; prayed that he was alive somewhere. And now, he had the chance to ask the questions he wanted. "What the hell happened after you escaped the facility?"

Naruto genuinely cared. He had hoped for Kiba's safety in all the moments he could remember. But now he cared for another reason; Kiba was obviously safe and sound, but something about him had changed. Naruto hadn't remembered Kiba being so…animalistic.

Kiba grinned, revealing a brilliant line of teeth. "I killed one."

Naruto felt his face fall. His lips parted in question and he raised an eyebrow. "You killed…a military official?"

He hoped that was the case, though his gut told him differently.

"Hell no," Kiba waved his hand impassively and rounded the coffee table, picking up a long-neck soda bottle and taking a swig. "One of _them_. The aliens."

Naruto stared for a long time before he spoke. "Why?"

Whether it was the expression on his face or the question itself that drew in everyone's attention, Naruto wasn't sure. But in less than one second, it was almost as though he had declared himself an enemy. The woman and younger boy were staring at him with hard-pressed expressions on their faces, and Kiba didn't look any less sour.

"_Why_?" the girl repeated before throwing a disbelieving glance towards Kiba. Her attention whipped back to Naruto and she stood up, planting a hand on her hip. "Because this is _our_ planet and they can't have it! _Hello_!" She even knocked a hand against her forehead in an effort to make Naruto feel like an idiot.

The teenager moved forward, his eyes suddenly dark and dangerous. "You kill them before they kill you. That's the way it is."

Naruto felt awkward under the heavy weight that had settled in the room. He felt a good deal disbelieving when he narrowed his eyes and shifted his attention back to Kiba. "You're serious?"

Kiba wasn't affected by the glare. "Even though the ship left, it didn't take all its aliens with it…they're still here. Infiltrating. So we—"

"Kiba," Naruto said, trying to keep his voice level despite the feeling of ridiculousness brewing inside of him. "They are not 'infiltrating'." Even though Naruto said that, he realized he actually didn't know _why_ they had come in the first place. But if they had wanted to take over, he was sure they would have done so already.

"What makes you think that you know anything?" the woman said, her expression growing more and more agitated by the second. It made Naruto wonder just what experiences this group had in order to cement such distaste for the other human race. Kiba raised a hand when the woman looked as though she was going to say more.

"Ten-ten…this is the first time he's met any others that remember," Kiba turned his attention to Naruto, looking curious whilst changing the subject. "What happened to you? I honestly thought you were dead."

Naruto remembered the facility and the whole experience brought a bitter taste to his tongue. There had been a time where he had been afraid to go back to work, afraid they'd know his name; that the military officials would seek him out. That fear still lingered in the back of his mind, but he was trying hard to move forward—as far forward as three months could take him, which wasn't far at all.

"They just wanted to know what I knew," Naruto answered honestly.

The teenager's tone was very somber. "What did you know?"

Naruto wondered how he got off being interrogated by someone years younger. He let his aversion show on his features when he answered, quite bluntly, "Not much."

"What do you know now?" Ten-ten asked, sounding a little like she was reading between the lines. Naruto didn't have any intention on betraying the confidence he had been left with, so he shrugged. "Not much else."

It didn't bother him that no one looked believing. While he was grateful to know that there were others who remembered, he wasn't comfortable discussing his experience with…hunters. Naruto pursed his lips before asking, "Why do we remember?"

"Because none of you were evacuated."

The new voice made Naruto jump, and when he turned his head, the sight made him leap backwards. He had been around the aliens enough to recognize them, no matter how human they looked with stylish clothes or through perfectly spoken language. This one had eyes that were oceans of emerald green, and skin too pale covered by a long-sleeved black shirt. His hair was dyed red and buzzed short, and even through the human décor, Naruto could see the distance in his expression.

His heart stumbled over a beat and for the slightest second he felt his shoulder tingle. It was the same look he remembered seeing Sasuke wear.

"You look like you know who I am," the person said, and Naruto narrowed his eyes, feeling strangely defensive. It had been a while since he'd felt this on edge—in fact, it had been so long that he had convinced himself that the distance had driven he and Sasuke's connection to nothingness.

Naruto licked his lips, trying to make his face appear a bit more welcoming. He couldn't shake the skepticism.

"I know _what_ you are," was all he could think to reply.

"Gaara's on our side," the teenager said, his lips smacking as he continued sucking the life from his gum. Ten-ten gave him a wry look and Kiba's attention seemed glued to the newcomer. Naruto didn't blame him. The aura this alien had was suffocating.

"I don't remember ever having said that," Gaara breathed, and the sound of his voice made goose pimples rise on Naruto's arms. He was intimidating in a way that Naruto couldn't quite place.

"What about the evacuations?" Naruto interrupted, stealing back the alien's attention. Their eyes met and in an instant they were weighing each other; Naruto trying to decide whether or not Gaara could be trusted, and Gaara…looking a little like he was a child that had found a new toy.

Gaara's eyes fell half-lidded, but it did nothing to hide the unearthly shade of his green-colored irises. "Your military did a wonderful job of making sure no one remembered. Evacuating your civilians to facilities…hidden locations. Weeding out those who had seen the Aliqui…getting _rid_ of them…"

Aliqui—Naruto knew that word. Some. A part of…the other part. The Aliqui was what the aliens called themselves.

"The government…" Naruto had convinced himself, somehow, that Sasuke had a choice in helping him to forget. Maybe Sasuke had. But if what Gaara was saying was true, it was the government that had destroyed the memories of the people…and maybe not _just_ this time. Perhaps from the first invasion, too. "The government was getting rid of people who knew too much?"

Naruto remembered the fears he had felt when he had been dragged into the military underworld of the medical facility. The men who were going to take him away from Shikamaru. The look in the castro's eyes that he had helped to escape…his head was starting to hurt as thoughts resurfaced, ones he had intentionally buried.

"Yes," Gaara drawled, leaning back against the frame of the door. "Which begs a question…"

Naruto felt it; the intense churning of his gut that told him something wasn't right. The feeling that sent his adrenaline flowing and his nerves rushing, even when he urged them to calm.

"What's that?"

Gaara's eyes flew open and Naruto felt the power behind them. "Why are you still alive?"

Not even a second passed before Gaara's hand was around his neck, squeezing brutally hard. Kiba shouted something in Naruto's defense, but it wasn't understandable against the sound of blood rushing against Naruto's temples. His eyes narrowed as he struggled to wrap his fingers around Gaara's wrist, trying to get the hold to loosen.

"Are you a spy for your government?" Gaara asked casually, even though is actions were all-too barbaric. Naruto groaned under his hold, still trying to wrestle himself free, still trying to breathe. "Or worse, are you a spy for them? The Aliqui?"

Naruto's neck was like a twig in Gaara's grasp. He choked out a cough, his lungs aching for air. Gaara was still watching him, his amusement fading.

"I thought I sensed something special about you, but I suppose I could have been wrong," he looked disappointed for a brief moment. Then Naruto felt it.

It was the same as he remembered it, the feeling that went crashing through him. When he had managed to fight off Neji in the darkness of the library, he had known, for split seconds, what the alien was going to do. What _he_ needed to do.

He grabbed the fold of Gaara's elbow and yanked it down, the suddenness of the movement causing his own throat to be released. Naruto coughed and rubbed the sore area around his neck, bracing himself against the wall behind him, feeling his stomach turn at the look of interest he was suddenly receiving.

"Or maybe I was right?" Gaara seemed intrigued.

"Don't touch me," Naruto said to him, and his voice was vicious. He hadn't realized it, but his shoulder was flooding with pain. He gripped the mark harshly, willing it to calm. After all, it didn't matter. Sasuke wasn't there to rescue him.

"What did he—"

"Konohamaru, stay back," Kiba's voice was low and Naruto could tell that he was trying to make sense of the situation.

"Well, whose side are you on?"

Naruto stood straight and looked Gaara directly in the eye. "I'm not a spy, and I haven't picked a side," his throat was sore. "I belong to them."

He pulled up the sleeve of his shirt and revealed the curled mark on his arm, watching as Gaara tilted his head back, his nostrils flaring slightly. "Uchiha."

Naruto felt like everything in the room had suddenly drowned out, leaving just himself and Gaara. There was an unspoken conversation going on between them, all before Gaara smirked, his stoic nature turning animal. "Just how powerful are you, then?"

_Move._

Naruto twisted to the side, his breath hitching in his throat as Gaara crashed into the space where he had been, hand outstretched like he was preparing to snatch out Naruto's heart. Ten-ten yelled something and Kiba darted across the room, and Naruto obeyed his subconscious for the second time when Gaara whizzed behind him, pale fingers moving deftly for the nape of his neck.

Hinata had tried to kill Itachi that way.

He ducked and thrust himself backwards, his heart racing to a tempo his breathing couldn't keep up with. He caught Gaara's arm before it had a chance to grab his own, but the force of Gaara rushing against him plowed him back into the wall. A shadowbox and a few pictures fell to the floor, and the sound of glass shattering was distant in Naruto's ears.

"What the hell are you attacking me for?" Naruto growled, struggling against the hold.

Gaara's voice was cold and assuming, and his teeth glinted while his lips moved to form words. "The Uchiha rule the courts. If you have that mark, you must be able to fight back."

Naruto struggled against him and nearly barked a response. "The Uchiha don't control anything. There are barely any left!"

The shock on Gaara's face was unexpected, and Naruto was sure it paralleled the confusion on his own. If Gaara was an Aliqui, why didn't he already know the fate of the Uchiha clan?

"You're lying."

"I'm not," Naruto managed to push Gaara off of him, but only because the intensity in the alien's resolve had faded the tiniest bit as he looked deep in thought. He glanced around to the others in the room and stepped towards the doorway.

"That family is too strong. And someone like _you_ wouldn't _really_ know," Gaara stated boldly. He glanced over to a plain clock that hung on the wall and turned his attention to the other three in the room, still watching the scene in confusion and surprise. "Come, we are leaving."

"We're going? Now?" Konohamaru had been watching the argument from the corner of his eye, trying to hide his interest. When Kiba nodded to him, Konohamaru paused his gum chewing long enough to pull the wad from his mouth. After sticking it to the top of an open can of soda on the table he glanced back up, his eyes traveling straight to Gaara's.

"Now," Gaara demanded, before turning his attention to Naruto. "You will not be coming with us."

Naruto clenched his fists, feeling stranded. While he had no intention of ever hunting the Aliqui, or whatever this small group of renegade humans planned on doing, he also didn't plan on just sitting back as though the events of the night had never happened. He hated to admit that he felt a comfort in the fact they all remembered, no matter how their views differed.

"There's no way—" Naruto started, his anger getting the best of him. He moved in front of the doorway, blocking the group from leaving him alone. He didn't want to be alone, not with what he knew. Even if he didn't completely understand the paranoia of the others.

"Naruto," Kiba lifted a hand, a gesture meant as protection, but Gaara batted it away in irritation before glaring at Naruto without a hint of respect or interest.

"Should I _make_ you move?" He threatened, and Naruto knew the warning had backing. He lowered his balled fists to his sides, and swallowed some of his pride for the sake of his motive.

"Let me go with you," he said, and Gaara didn't look phased. Ten-ten snorted and shook her head, the expression on her face showing her distaste for Naruto. She opened her mouth to say something, but Naruto cut her off. "I want to make sense of what I know. I don't want to pretend nothing happened…I can't anymore. Especially not now."

Naruto's meaning was understood, even if the direct words were unspoken. He needed validation. He wanted in on this secret world, the one he had every right to be a part of but was not.

Ten-ten's lips pursed and not surprisingly, Gaara's expression remained unchanging. "Are your beliefs prepared to change so quickly?"

A good question. Would Naruto be able to stand idly by while they killed an innocent castro?

Falling back against the doorway, Naruto shook his head. "No. But I can't just walk away."

It was Gaara's turn to snort. "What happened to you to make you think you're entitled to know anything? You think that mark on your arm means anything here on Earth? When the council learns that you have it, you'll be as good as dead."

Naruto breathed deeply, wanting to prove himself for his pride alone. "I've already spoken with the elders, if that's what you're talking about," Naruto said, his voice slightly wary.

Gaara couldn't fathom the possibility. "You lie."

Konohamaru scrambled to the edge of the couch, his eyes wide and full of excitement as he stared intently ay Naruto, searching his face for any sign of a lie. "Is that true?!"

Ten-ten's eyes had widened for a fraction of a second before she regained her composure. "Of course it's not true." She was propped against the back of the couch, arms crossed over her chest, biting her lip from the insecurity she felt from Gaara's reaction.

Naruto couldn't help but look defensive. "Yes it is," he clarified, keeping his eyes locked with Gaara's. "They let me live. Deemed me worthy, or whatever. So how is this any different?"

Gaara didn't answer immediately. His response was carefully thought out. "If they didn't think you were a threat, you must have a purpose. Is it smart to travel with people like us, ones those same elders would most certainly label 'dangerous'?"

Naruto hadn't thought about that.

"Are you that desperate to feel involved?" Gaara asked and Naruto frowned at the insinuation. The Aliqui's expression relaxed and he continued. "Tonight is not a real hunt. It's a gathering. Others like us share information and we decide who to target. Is that something you can handle?"

Naruto blinked, feeling relieved and hesitant at the same time. He nodded and Gaara tugged him forward and out of the way of the door. Their eyes met briefly during the movement, and for a moment Naruto thought he was going to be denied, or questioned about his experience. The questions never came, however, and Gaara opened the door and disappeared into the outer hallway.

"Did you really meet them?" Konohamaru was propped up on the back of the couch, only feet from Naruto, his eyes large with excitement. Ten-ten smacked him on the head and shook her own, all before brushing past Naruto to follow Gaara. After rubbing his head, Konohamaru returned his gaze. "Well, did you?"

Kiba stepped forward and ran a hand through Naruto's hair, ruffling it. His expression was grim, and Naruto wasn't sure how to read it. It was the look of someone unsure of something, but unable to admit it. "Of course he was. Playing an advocate for us humans, I bet."

Naruto didn't have the heart to admit that he was only playing advocate for himself. Now he had every intention of defending the castro being hunted.

Konohamaru looked as though he had found a new idol and Kiba grinned. "You coming 'Maru?"

The teenager was already up and off the couch, still staring at Naruto like he was something incredibly fascinating. "Like you had to ask…" he mumbled as he walked past them and into the outer hallway. His eyes snuck back to meet Naruto's int eh process, and Naruto felt the warmth in his mark fade.

***

It was a twenty minute walk to a large summit building clustered with some others of its kind. Naruto remembered that they were called samaritan buildings because they could be rented out by the public and be used for town halls and other various agendas.

They walked along a narrow marbled floor before passing an inlet between stores. Gaara ducked into it, and Naruto let his eyes scour the innards of the building. It lacked decor, spare a jumble of circular glass tables that were arranged in the center, and a small stage with a wooden podium that faced the gathering crowd of people.

"What is this place?" Naruto asked, and Konohamaru whipped around and pulled a finger against his lips, demanding silence. Pausing in his steps, Naruto felt intimidated and worked hard to not let it show.

"It's where we meet," Kiba whispered while pushing Naruto forward in order to keep up with the others. "At least, where we're meeting tonight."

They stepped into the darkness of a hallway hidden behind stylish satin curtains, somehow too prim and proper for the venue. Naruto tucked himself against a wall, examining the arena beyond their cramped hiding place. It was a sprawling space considering the intimacy of the upcoming meeting, and no one wandering around seemed out of place.

Humans pilfered through the arena like it was something normal and Naruto felt his stomach twist at the thought of even more people that remembered. Every once-in-a-while he would catch the silvery eyes of an Aliqui, and he was fascinated to think there were more of Gaara's kind free in the city. It was even more bizarre to think that so many were gathered with the same intention—to hunt their own kind.

He was surrounded by people who knew, and that alone was amazing. But there was still something missing. Something he could vacantly place in his mind; a realization that made him wonder if he would always feel steps behind or worlds apart.

Something in the more distant part of his mind told him that he wouldn't feel resolved unless he encountered Sasuke again, and he swallowed the raw feelings that temporarily lodged a breath in his throat. When he remembered to breathe his lips parted and cradled a staggered sound, one that drew the distracted attention of the others.

"Cold feet?" Ten-ten asked, no sincerity in her tone. Naruto peered over to her and felt the cold feeling in his chest warm, thankful of the distraction from his own thoughts. He shook his head willfully. He had been in worse situations.

"Why are we hiding?" he asked, keeping his voice low. Kiba's hands found the collar of his shirt, straightening it before pulling his shirt sleeves low enough to cover any hint of his mark.

"We're getting ready," Kiba said. "Everyone here--they're all on our side. They all know and remember. Don't say anything that will get into trouble—"

"And don't talk about anything personal," Gaara stated, staring knowingly at the shoulder that bore the Uchiha mark.

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "I won't."

Naruto took a deep breath when Kiba tugged him out into the main of the room, the others following behind after they adjusted their attire as well. It was a very conservative affair, and Naruto felt himself caught in a world that was familiar and abstract all at once. Everyday people littered the floor, bunched into small groups, chatting away like they had all stumbled into a support group meeting and happened upon familiar faces.

"Don't do anything stupid," Gaara's voice was cold against the nape of Naruto's neck as the Aliqui disappeared into the throng of scattered people, Ten-ten tight at his heels. Kiba examined the faces in the room devilishly, and Konohamaru popped a piece of bubble gum into his mouth while giving a younger Aliqui girl a look beyond his years.

Naruto _did_ feel nervous, even as he tried to hide it. The air he got from the people around him was different from what he had felt on board the ship. He struggled to recall all the details of how his emotions had been, but the memory had become as vague as it was intricate. He had once been a part of something great, and now he was resigned to being merely who he had been all of his life.

"Welcome, welcome," a man took stage, standing lean behind a podium, his voice bringing a hushed silence over the collection of people in the samaritan building. Naruto recognized him as human and noted it with a small bit of interest. It was strange that a human would be at the forefront of a gathering such as this. It made Naruto wonder why beings so powerful were so apt to follow under someone considered weak among their culture.

"I see a few new faces, but many familiar. I'm sure that many of you realize this proves there are even more of us out there searching for the truth. More of us that need to be enlightened. It is our responsibility to find them and bring them here and to educate them. But to all of us already here, welcome!"

A cheer erupted from the crowd as the man departed the stage and the creeping cold sensation that had made Naruto's hands clammy from before overwhelmed him again. While a gathering seemed logical, there was something about this group that made him feel irrationally on edge.

"Isn't he great?" Kiba looked at Naruto expectantly but Naruto couldn't force a smile.

"Who is he?"

Konohamaru popped an oversized bubble and licked the remnants of gum back into his mouth, looking less enthusiastic than Kiba about the man at the podium. "His name is Danzo. He works for the government or something...but he uses his resources to provide for all of us."

Danzo. Naruto knew that name. But from where?

"He's well connected. He's going to unite all of the Aliqui that choose human lifestyles and teach us how to fight against the others," Kiba's eyes looked lost in a dream.

Naruto stared. "What others?" Considering the spaceship had long since left, it seemed impractical to battle something that didn't exist.

"They'll be back," Konohamaru said. "And we need to be ready."

Naruto couldn't keep the skepticism from his expression.

"Brave words from a brave young person."

The words made Naruto jump and when he twisted his head to meet their speaker, he was jolted to realize that in the time they had been chatting, the man named Danzo had stumbled upon them. And now, here the older man was, looking stylish and intimidating as he outstretched a hand to collect a greeting from Naruto.

"Naruto Uzumaki, am I correct?"

Tongue moving with a practiced haste across his lips, Naruto answered in the positive, though his hand didn't lift to meet the older man's. There was something about him. Naruto _knew_ him, but couldn't place how. But that feeling, the inconsolable one in the pit of his stomach, told him the memory wasn't pleasant.

Danzo seemed unaffected at the fact his hand was lonely in midair, and pulled it back to his side with a grace few men could manage in the forefront of potential embarrassment. "Is this your first time here at the summit?"

Naruto felt his eyes narrow and Kiba spoke for him. He looked eager for the opportunity to engage himself with such a powerful man. "It is his first time, but don't be tricked. He's seen more than most—"

"How do you know my name?" Naruto interrupted, staring the older man down harshly. Kiba's sentence teetered off to nothing, and Danzo smiled kindly.

"I make an effort to learn about those who are important enough to know about," he replied casually, pretending that Naruto's voice hadn't been laden with suspicion. Kiba glanced between the two of them, and Konohamaru looked impressed.

"You're pretty popular," the teenager commented, his eyebrows turned up wryly. Naruto glanced at him, but returned his eyes to Danzo's after a quick second. Frowning, he repeated, "How do you know my name?"

Something was chewing away at his memories, gnawing at his subconscious, urging him to place such a familiar name. It was important, he could feel it. Whoever this person was, he was significant, and not in a good way.

"You briefly visited my hospital," Danzo said, showing too many teeth in his expectant smile. "Until they took you. General Nara was very disappointed to hear that you had been kidnapped, it took a great deal of effort to assure him that we would find you."

Naruto's skin crawled as he remembered. The men who had tried to take him away from that the general he had made friends with—they had been working under a man named Danzo. Naruto stepped backwards, causing Danzo's words to fade into a cautious look of concern. "Are you alright? You look like you've seen a ghost."

That place hadn't been a hospital. Naruto's intuition had sent him into a certain hysteria when Danzo's men had sent him to that truck, the one Kakashi had been lucky enough to be driving. The same way he had reacted then--he felt it boiling under his skin now. That voice inside of him that was usually silent was beginning to breathe, ready to jolt his body into a run--to get him as far from this man a humanly possible.

"I wasn't kidnapped," Naruto said, though he hadn't planned on saying anything. His lips moved on their own, and his mind struggled to catch up to his actions when Danzo gave him a very dubious look. Kiba's eyes narrowed slightly as he placed the pieces together as well, and he frowned.

"The facility was yours?"

Danzo nodded and cast a glance at Konohamaru and seemed content that he wasn't paying close attention. Naruto stepped in front of the younger boy almost defensively, blocking him from Danzo's very calculating eyes.

"Go find Gaara," Naruto advised, as he gently shoved Konohamaru away. A big bubble of gum exploded in the teenager's face and he sucked the sticky bits from around his lips back into his mouth before frowning.

"Why?" he questioned, looking petulant.

"Go," Naruto commanded, and made sure his tone left no room for argument. Danzo was dangerous, though Naruto wasn't sure to what extent. He wasn't ready to pull someone as young as Konohamaru into the situation. It was like he had always feared; the government searching for him. And now, it had found him.

"You don't seem to care for me much, Mr. Uzumaki," Danzo said, looking curious. Naruto couldn't help but feel like the conversation had centered between just the both of them, Kiba standing awkwardly to the side, trying to keep up with whatever was happening between the lines.

Naruto pocketed his hands and slouched in his stance, looking as fearless as he could in the presence of someone who spelled a certain misfortune. The crowds in the room were an aggressive soundtrack to the dialogue between them, and Naruto had the odd feeling that even if he tried to run, he wouldn't make it out. This was Danzo's territory.

"I'm just surprised," Naruto said, trying to wean the discomfort in his voice to something more akin to disbelief. "I haven't thought of that place in a long time. I never expected to meet the man behind the curtain."

Danzo laughed and Kiba seemed to look even more intrigued. "So you were in charge of the men there? Damn...they were really intimidating." Kiba seemed lost in a memory, and Naruto wanted to smack him. They _had_ been intimidating. There was nothing normal about them. Nothing normal about Danzo. And now, someone who owned a medical facility packed with soldier was running a collected group of people who all remembered the events three months previous?

_Weeding out those who had seen the Aliqui…getting __rid__ of_ _them_.

The words of Gaara. Naruto felt his chest tighten.

"I won't lie, Mr. Uzumaki," Danzo said, licking his lips earnestly as he cradled a wine glass from a passing server in his palm. He took a small sip, enough to savor the taste, and let their eyes meet again, Kiba once again forgotten in the background. "I was waiting for the day you'd show up here. I knew you would. I knew you would become one of us...that you would help me."

Never in his life had Naruto worked so hard to make his expression unreadable. Disgust filled him to the brim, and fear. "Help you do what, exactly?" he asked, swallowing a lump that had grown unconsciously at the back of his throat.

Danzo smiled, as if he had been waiting for this particular opportunity since the moment they had began speaking. "Would you like to see?"

A low breath rushed from Kiba's lips. "Yes, he would."

Danzo gave the brunet an irritated glare, hidden by a polite smile. "Of course your friends are welcome to come as well."

Kiba's eyes lit up and his twisted off into the crowds to find the others, leaving Naruto and Danzo standing awkwardly in the rear of the room. Danzo still looked pleased, even if Naruto felt the cunningness of his military mind working behind those lighthearted eyes.

"You and I are very much alike," Danzo said, twirling the remaining wine in his glass. Naruto failed to see the similarities, but Danzo embellished. "I'm sure you know much more than you're letting on, and of course, so do I. You see me for the powerful man that I am, and I see through you, all the way to the well-hidden mark on your arm."

Naruto froze, his lips pursing. Danzo didn't stop smiling. "I've waited for you, Naruto Uzumaki. I knew you'd come back to me. Together we can lead a revolution. We are the same. The only humans who have their power. The only ones that can harness it."

Naruto stared at the older man as Kiba returned with Gaara, Konohamaru, and Ten-ten looking slightly baffled as they followed him from behind. Danzo turned towards a pair of double doors nearest to them, as if knowing that there wasn't a possibility that Naruto would refuse to follow.

Kiba grinned and tugged Ten-ten forward, and Gaara gave Naruto a condescending glare before following them in suit. Naruto considered leaving; he knew that he should. But he was human, and his curiosity was almost as overwhelming as the distinct urge to disappear from this secret society he had happened upon.

"I don't like him either," Konohamaru stated as he came to stand next to Naruto. For the second time, Naruto thought he looked a bit older than his age, his eyes narrowed and calculating. "He gives me a bad feeling. You told me to go find Gaara because you were trying to protect me or something, right?"

Naruto blinked and glanced down at the teenager, wondering if it had been that obvious. Konohamaru sighed. "Don't do that again. I can protect myself, you know."

And all at once, the maturity that had been so surprising disappeared, and the younger boy started towards the others without looking back. Naruto swallowed his fear and pride and followed.

"Where are we going?" He asked, once he had caught up enough to be heard. Danzo's voice was carried in the heated breeze that swept by.

"Wait here," Danzo said, directing them to a side balcony that overlooked the entire floor of the reception area. Naruto felt his stomach turn when Danzo disappeared, and Gaara spoke.

"What exactly is going on?"

Kiba was too enthusiastic in his reply. "It's like I said. We've been invited to be a _part_ of it."

Naruto bit his upper lip, feeling his mark burn and his head begin to pound. A hand touched his shoulder, and surprisingly enough, it was Gaara that had noticed the change in his disposition. "What is it telling you?"

Naruto glanced from his shoulder to Gaara's eyes and shook his head. "This isn't right. He's not a good man. None of you realize that?"

Ten-ten raised an eyebrow and Konohamaru remained silent. Kiba looked incredibly confused and Gaara snorted. "He'll start a revolution. Protect this—"

"You said yourself that the government's aim was to erase the memories of those who knew. What makes your group so special?"

There was a moment of silence before Ten-ten softly replied, "Because we believe in him."

An eruption of applause emerged from the main room and Naruto turned towards the source, his eyes widening when Danzo took center stage, this time sided by a figure that Naruto had never counted on seeing again.

"Kakashi…"

Danzo looked regal as he took his place on the stage, the white-haired man hardly recognizable beside him, hands tied behind his back. The older man took hold of the microphone and his eyes sneaked to meet Naruto's, the few feet away that they were.

"A demonstration, as promised, of what can happen when you do not understand the prosperity that I offer."

Naruto knew what was coming. Without knowing, he saw every motion played out before it had a chance to happen at all.

Kakashi looked so weak, captured somehow, demoralized. He was going to die.

Danzo moved.

Naruto moved faster.

* * *

**A/N:** Finally written! Took me forever, but in my defense, I just moved to Las Vegas, got a job, and had to get adjusted. Forgive me!

**Thoughts for the chapter:**

Naruto stunned out of dream-world into reality. This chapter was more difficult to write than I thought it would be, and mainly because I think I was so excited for it that I forgot that I needed to be clever with who said what to who and all of that. The story is really close to coming full circle too, which puts more pressure on me.

Naruto's in a really interesting position in here, to me, because he has suddenly become the outcast of something he was the center of. That and he's struggled to forget everything he experienced, even though Sasuke's presence is undeniable. You can't forget a bond, after all, only become numb to it.

I've decided to do a couple of side-stories from Sasuke's POV since they'd be fun to write, and will probably help me place his character a bit more than I am able to now. So I'll save Sasuke-thoughts until later when I write those, okay?

Kiba is a really funny guy to me. He really likes to be in-the-know. Him kissing up to Danzo is amusing and made me laugh out loud a few times; my roommate thought it was entertaining. But Kiba's in a weird place, too. I'm sure he never expected Naruto to make it out alive, and now…it's almost like Naruto's more special than before. I'm not sure if Kiba is jealous or feeling a bit like he now as an in, but as the plot unfolds I think his feelings will slowly start to fit in.

The thing about poor Naruto is that when the plot moves, the plot moves. He's had three months of nothingness and now chaos is about to ensue, and his feelings for Sasuke will increase tenfold as the rest of the plot rolls out. The next couple of chapters is where we learn it all, and from there, it's all emotion.

Which means more Sasuke and Naruto lovin'.

Not a whole lot of in depth thought went into this chapter because it was just a moving one, getting Naruto from one place to another. The only image in my head before writing it was Naruto at the seminar, watching people move around from the shadows, breathing deep and trying to suppress his nerves. I originally planned to have Gaara be really conscious of him, always asking what was wrong, but I decided that for now that was too nice. In the next chapter they'll get closer—I'm excited for that.

Thank you for reading and again, I'm sorry for the delay. I'm settled now and I really want to do more of my original novel, so I'm going to try and finish Slumberland as quickly as my quality will allow. I appreciate all of the support though!


	8. Interlude

**Slumberland**

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IMPORTANT: **Have you read chapter 7?? Because I updated back-to-back and it would be unfortunate if you read this chapter before the last! Thank you!

That is all.**  
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**Interlude**

The universe was a never ending expanse of beauty; an ocean of black, prickling with the flames of distant stars and planets and blanketed in the fevered swells of milkyways and stardust. It was a view that remained unchanging, no matter how far a ship drifted into its depths. Not that the ships deviated from the warmth of the sun; that was too risky. But year after year, and century after century, the image outside of Sasuke's window remained perpetually eternal.

Black.

White sheets bunched as Sasuke moved within them, his slender form outlined after the movement. It was another night that had brought no sleep. Another night that had promised no peace of mind for morning. Like every passing day, yesterday was just another date disappeared from his digital calendar, replaced by another of equal or lesser value.

When his eyes were open, there was only black.

When they drifted closed however, his irises were dipped into a field of impossible colors; a scheme that worked like a drug on his tired mind. Colors he had only seen in books: the color of homespun hay, weaved together in an impossible way, falling over peach-colored skin. There was blue, too. Eyes like a cerulean hurricane; a whirlpool of intelect and humanity, whisked together like thick paint, pulling him in like a fine piece of art.

Naruto Uzumaki.

There was no denying it, and Sasuke's eyes shot open, his fingers clutching the sheets surrounding him as he tried to forget what he couldn't. That bond existed whether he wanted it to or not. It was unfading. Since the first time he had stumbled upon the human and placed the mark on his arm, he had known. The decision he had made that day haunted him in the form of blinding colors that bled from his greyscale mind like sweet candies seduced his tongue.

Soulmates.

Sasuke twisted onto his side, a part of him wishing that he could blink and fastforward time; wake up later in the day so that he could claim an assignment and distract himself. It was the same, every night. If he stayed awake, he was painfully aware of that human's absence. If he slept, he dreamed that the distance between them was nonexistent; like two halves of one whole, no matter how much universe stretched between them, in dreams, he clutched those impossible colors close to his soul, not prepared for reality to tug them away when his eyes blinked open for another day.

Another meaningless day.

By Earth standards, it was evening. By the ship's standards, a few hours still waited to pass before the craft would come to life and Aliqui would begin to move to their posts and occupations. He would be released from his quarters and given duties to fulfill, and until his mind wrestled with the idea of sleep later in the evening, he would be free from the shackles fate had dealt him.

He felt a familiar pull in the rear of his thoughts, a feeling he had grown accustomed to that made his gut feel heavy. The first time he had felt it, logic told him he was ill, unused to Earth's smog-clouded oxygen and the smell of weaker beings and their sun-soaked pollution. Now he knew better. He knew it was Naruto calling to him.

Of course the human wasn't aware of the impact his menial and primal thoughts and urges had on Sasuke's end, and so it wasn't practical to be irate. Sasuke knew what it meant because he _needed_ to know. It was his responsibility as an Aliqui to be in control. To be knowledgeable, and not to be taken advantage of by anything or anyone. Yet here he was, his lips moving wordlessly as he silently voiced his wishes, waiting for the feeling in his stomach to settle.

Was that human in trouble?

The ship had departed three months previous, and this was the first time since he had been on Earth that he felt such a gravity in his belly. The last time he had felt something so strong was before he had killed one of the castro that had escaped. The one he had protected Naruto from. The one Naruto had been so frightened of. Sasuke had thought he was reacting to the pungent smell of primal fear, doing a weak nobody a favor by crushing a castro effortlessly.

But Naruto was the only one.

Sasuke had only felt _his_ fear. No one else's. Not the humans descending that edifice's stairwell, not the scattering population outside, being hunted by the mindless castros that had escaped. His only job had been to kill or capture the lesser Aliqui that had flooded to Earth. But Naruto had called to him, and he had answered.

A remote on a plexiglass shelf near his bed beeped and he shifted involuntarily to retrieve it. Visitors in the early hours of morning were rare, and his nose crinkled at the rudeness. The feeling only faded because he hadn't been sleeping, and therefore hadn't been interrupted from anything important.

The feeling weighing him down was not important.

He slid into a sitting position as the device sounded again, letting the sheet slide to his hips, revealing a modestly built chest and stomach, like creme stirred into an ocean of milk as the fabric bundled beneath him. He pressed a button on the device and the door to is miniature quarters shifted open, allowing his company to enter.

"You still not sleeping?"

Sasuke's eyes were half-mast; he could tell his exhaustion was readable and so he didn't attempt to deny it. His visitor, a first-rate healer from the upper class, turned only slightly to allow his door to slide closed behind her. Her language was flawlessly common; after all, she had been born to no special family and had worked her way to respectability.

"There are only a few days left of your term," she said, and she fiddled with a glass wall of his, one that was meant for gaming activities and such. He had never used it himself. When he was alone, even if other noises surrounded him, the memory of Naruto's voice drowned them out.

Sakura twisted her head back to look at him, her eyes knowing and pinched with concern. The expression lasted a small moment before she turned off the digital display and moved closer to him, her voice significantly lower when she spoke. "I heard that something happened in the courts."

Sasuke frowned, but the change in his features was hardly noticeable. "Don't get involved with politics, Sakura."

"You're not interested at all?"

He was, but he wasn't willing to admit it.

Sakura's eyebrows drew inward, and her obsidian eyes glinted green. "The Hyuuga are departing for Earth. The elders have decided to make their move. At least, that's the rumor."

Sasuke's disposition didn't change. There had been rumors that the castro and Aliqui left behind from years previous would one day become a problem that would need correcting. The only thing interesting about the news was that the elders had often hinted that the next journey to Earth would be the one meant to conquer.

"What does it feel like?" Sakura asked softly, seating herself beside Sasuke. Her eyes lingered on his hand as it moved deftly over his stomach, absently trying to alleviate the tension within. When his fingers paused she placed her own over his hand as if to guide him to continue the movement. When her eyes met his, they were honest.

Sasuke looked away. "I don't know."

"You don't know?" Sakura repeated, an eyebrow quirking.

Sasuke returned his attention to her dissolutely. "It's like everything and nothing all at once. It's useless."

Sakura smiled and retracted her hand to her lap, glancing out of the small room's window into the vast expanse of space beyond. She was different than other Aliqui on the homestay ship, and Sasuke liked her for it. She didn't expect him to talk, and for lack of a better term, she seemed to understand him. He had no interest in making friends, but she had been one person he'd never been able to get rid of.

"I heard another rumor," she stated, and this time, her voice was more serious. "They want to erase our existence." She looked at him, and he understood what she was saying.

"If they find him, they'll kill him. The seeds for the revolution were planted long ago. They are sprouting now. There aren't other Aliqui like you. None of us have found what the gods denied us, but _you_ have. You understand how important that is, don't you? How, in secret, other Aliqui here wait for your word? They'll follow you, Sasuke. Just like I will, when the time is right."

Sasuke was like a prince in many ways, if that term existed amongst his people. One of the last of his kind, the only one recognized by the elders...the only Aliqui left with any sort of advantage over the Hyuuga family's abilities. While that was true, he still had no power.

"Don't get involved--"

"--in politics, yes, I know," Sakura finished, looking oddly disappointed. It wasn't like their race to be emotional, but lately, things had been changing. Sasuke had felt it, everything moving forward around him while he stayed stuck in a neverending dream, one that blinded him with a rapture that wasn't possible.

"The ship leaves in a few days," Sakura released a breath. She was telling him to sneak away with it without saying those exact words. The beautiful Aliqui woman stood, brushing her short hair back over her shoulder before straightening the thick black cape she was wearing. "I've got to go. If I hear anything else, I'll let you know."

Sasuke didn't look at her, but from the corner of his eye he saw her figure disappear into the hallway beyond his room. When the door slid closed he was once again left in darkness, his eyelids still heavy and his lips slightly parted. He leaned to the side, letting his forehead press against the thick glass of the window.

The feeling he recognized as fear hadn't gone away. He closed his eyes. Color drowned his vision. He felt things he wasn't allowed to. Pressure on his skin, warmth against his lips--like sunlight kissing his pallid skin and bathing it in a saturated heat. He wanted to control it. He wanted to suffocate those colors, ball them all until they faded into something black and white that he could understand.

He wanted to control Naruto.

His fingers moved to soothe his stomach again and he worked to even his breathing.

Naruto was in trouble.

He just didn't want to believe it.

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**a/n:** Yay! I wrote the first one. Hopefully here will be more. I'm really happy I could finally write this. I kind of feel like...you know when you read a chapter of a manga, and then at the end there's like a little splash page with a funny blooper sketch from the author? This chapter is like the equivalent to that. Something I couldn't resist, because Sasuke is such an interesting and misunderstood character in my mind. He's not a jerk...he's like someone with minimal freedom suddenly given a taste of freedom. You don't understand what it means to you, but you can't deny the fact you want more of it.

I guess this interlude was a little bit like a drabble, but I hope it was interesting nonetheless. I call this 'pretty writing' because it's all about raw emotion, and describing it makes me happy and it's usually super visual...and I like doing that when the time calls for it. It's hard though. I'll get better with more practice, yeah??

Thank you for all of the comments and reviews so far. It feels good to have free time to write again! Yay!

I'll have the next chapter written soon. :)


	9. Chapter 8

**Slumberland**

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**Author:** Ladelle

**Comments:** Thank you for all of your reviews on both chapter seven and the interlude. I plotted the rest out to three more chapters, give or take in case any more ideas jump into my head…but so far, it feels so gooooooood to be able to write so much. Ah.

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**Chapter 8:**

Naruto vaulted over the small upraise of the balcony's flooring and bolted forward before he even knew what he was doing. The distance between he and Danzo was meager, and he would have made it if forceful fingers hadn't gripped his shoulder and halted him.

Naruto jolted and twisted to meet Gaara's intense gaze; with the amount of panic surging through Naruto's body, he was positive he looked crazed.

"What the hell are you--"

"Naruto, my guest," Danzo's voice drew Naruto's attention away from Gaara. He felt his lungs heaving in his ribcage when his sense of panic returned at the sight of Kakashi beside the older man.

Luckily, Kakashi still looked alive. Apparently Naruto had caused enough of a commotion to buy time.

"Is there a problem?" Danzo continued, and for the first time, Naruto was aware of all of the confused stares he was receiving. He realized his hands were shaking, though out of fear or anger he wasn't sure, as he brushed Gaara's fingers from his shoulder.

"You can't..." Naruto said, his voice sounding weak to his own ears. His attention darted back-and-forth between the older man and Kakashi at his side, still limp in his bindings.

_What happened to him? _Naruto wanted desperately to know what Kakashi had done to end up in this situation.

Danzo raised an eyebrow inquisitively and Naruto felt flustered for an excuse, seeing that defending an innocent person seemed perfectly reasonable. "Why are you killing him?"

From behind him, Gaara seethed. "He's a vagabond."

Some people near to him in the crowd mumbled about traitors and Danzo smiled, looking warmed by the sentimentality Naruto was exuding. He waved his hand in a glorious way for the crowd to see, and pointed to Naruto. "Naruto is a special guest of mine, so do not mind is naïveté. He surely understands the threats of those who work under the Aliqui."

Danzo's hand lifted again, and Naruto stepped forward, his breaths coming irrationally fast as the man's fingers settled onto Kakashi's forehead and sank lower, following the bridge of Kakashi's nose to the extrusion of his pale lips. "You must understand the threat _he_ causes."

Naruto felt his eyebrows pinch together as he struggled to find the thought process behind this mob mentality. The crowd was on edge, much like Naruto assumed the Romans had been while gathered at the Coliseum, waiting for men to be slaughtered by starved animals. Something built up inside of Naruto, and he climbed the stairs onto the stage, slowly and steadily. He came to stand in front of Danzo and pushed the leader's wrist away from Kakashi, using every ounce of courage he had to stand before the crowd and stare straight into Danzo's eyes.

A silence followed that felt like everyone inside the building was holding their breath.

Danzo examined Naruto with hawk like precision, and also amusement. After a moment, he smiled. "You were meant for me," he said, so softly that Naruto was positive that no one else had heard. The comment sent chills up his spine.

Turning towards the crowd, Danzo's enigmatic smile returned. "It looks like he wants the honor himself," he explained, and the crowd let out a raucous cheer before filling the hall with excited chatter.

Naruto gripped Danzo's wrist as he stepped to the side, frowning. "I don't want any _honor_," he nearly growled at the insinuation. Danzo glanced to the crowd, now anxiously moving about, looking crazed as they waited for a public execution.

"They want a show and I'm not going to deny them," Danzo stated. "If I do it, I'll kill the bastard. I'm sure you can find a way to appease them and your own endearing values." The older man shook free of the hold and stepped to the side, an action that clarified just how much attention was drawn to Naruto and the expectation for him to kill.

He turned shakily to face the crowd, the brevity he had mustered before starting to drain away, and hesitation beginning to drown his senses. The room was loud with whispers and laughter, and demands that Naruto didn't want to make sense of. He turned to take in Kakashi, memories flooding back as he sank into the familiarity.

Thick lashes peeled open, and Naruto released a breath as Kakashi came to life, if only barely.

"Are you okay?" He turned so that the crowd wouldn't be able to see the concern that washed over his face. He leaned down, trying to get a better look at his friend's face. Kakashi mumbled something in response.

"Are you hurt?" Naruto tried again, crouching further down to get a better look at the expression on Kakashi's face. He didn't look pained, just disoriented. After what looked like an effort, the older man shook his head. His lips parted and Naruto strained to hear his breathy voice.

"Just do it."

Naruto felt his heart jump to his throat, and when he turned to view the audience, he could see the impatience in their eyes. He heard a few crazed shouts and the mass of onlookers seemed to be coming closer, bullying him into making a move.

"They won't wait much longer, Naruto," Danzo's voice washed over him like icy water, playful and brilliantly cruel.

He wondered where that voice was inside of his head; the one that told him what to do. His throat burned; every swallow made his mouth feel scratchy and sticky. He was shaking at the thought of hurting the person who had risked so much to save him.

"Do it," Kakashi repeated. Naruto knew he couldn't wait any longer.

Someone from the crowd yelled, "What's he, scared?

The front of the crowd blazed onto the stage, anxious to complete the task that Naruto couldn't. From the corner of his eye, he could see Danzo grinning. There was movement behind him and warmth on his side. A hand stretched past his hip and Kakashi coughed up blood as a finger lightly pressed to his stomach.

Red splattered onto Naruto's shirt and he shakily twisted to the side, close to snapping as he searched for the person who had overstepped him in order to injure Kakashi. Once again, his eyes met Gaara's, and there was nothing kind in the emerald irises that stared back at him.

Gaara had used that…technique against Kakashi.

The crowd erupted into its own rapturous euphoria and Naruto's lips parted as Gaara lifted Kakashi's hand to signify the end of the killing chore. The pressed feeling in the room evaporated and dissolved into something else as the onlookers clustered into small groups, returning to normal conversations like nothing special had happened.

Like no one had died right in front of them.

Gaara's hand touched Naruto on the back and he jumped before whipping around and smacking it that hand away from him, fighting the paralyzing sensation of shock that flooded like cement into his veins.

"Don't touch me."

Gaara dropped Kakashi's hand and leaned forward to whisper in Naruto's ear. "He's not dead. If you don't get him out of here, he will be."

Naruto felt his blood start pumping again before he tore his vision to Kakashi, paying close attention to the trail of blood that dribbled down to his chin. He certainly didn't look alive. Without needing a reason more than pure faith, Naruto believed Gaara and leapt forward to untie the cords that held Kakashi back, grunting as the weight of the older man fell fully against him.

He was working through his panic, and he could feel it. He had always hoped to run into Kakashi again, but not under these circumstances. Gaara reached above him to untangle a stuck tangle of chord, and Naruto slapped his hand away without saying a word edgewise. He glanced to the side as hairs rose on the back of his neck, and caught Danzo gazing at him thoughtfully.

"We will meet again," he said passively, not even sparing a glance at Gaara beside Naruto. "It's our fate." He turned to disappear into the crowd, a wine glass returned to his hand, making him appear regal beyond words.

"Calm down," Gaara commanded, and his voice was dangerously stern behind Naruto's ear. Naruto could feel the blood rushing to his temples and he nearly choked out his response.

"You said he could die. What did you do to him?!"

Gaara's eyes widened and he looked perplexed at the raw emotion that Naruto couldn't seem to suppress. The expression vanished as quickly as it had come and he frowned. "What you couldn't."

If Naruto hadn't been struggling to balance Kakashi in his arms, he would have introduced his fist to Gaara's porcelain face. The Aliqui looked briefly like he regretted his comment, but his pride made no room for any type of apology. Instead, he attempted to tug Kakashi towards himself in order to help relieve some of the weight. Naruto clutched the older man close, not relinquishing any of his hold.

"What did you do? Inside of him, what did you injure?" Naruto could tell that his tone was desperately serious as Kakashi lay limp in his arms. He felt like he was struggling to support a life-sized ragdoll.

Gaara raised an eyebrow. "His ribs." It seemed like Gaara wasn't used to people knowing how Aliqui attacks worked.

"What the _hell_ was that?!" Ten-ten scrambled onto the stage next to them, followed by a very disturbed Kiba. Konohamaru followed behind with his hands in his pockets, glancing around them, looking nervous.

"Guys, we should--"

Ten-ten grabbed Naruto by the shirt, offing his balance as she cursed at him. "Who the hell do you think you are?!"

Naruto fought to keep his hold on Kakashi, and Gaara carefully curled his fingers around Ten-ten's wrist, drawing her attention elsewhere. "He cannot help himself. It was a mistake to bring him, as I knew it would be."

"Guys, we should get outta here," Konohamaru repeated, this time raising his voice. Kiba took one of Kakashi's arms over his shoulder and Naruto allowed him to. There was reluctance in his features, and Naruto felt like it was their friendship that convinced Kiba to help at all.

"I agree. This place could turn madhouse any second."

Gaara was literally two steps ahead of them as he peeled back a curtain at the rear of the stage, giving them a path to follow. Naruto adjusted Kakashi's free arm to curl behind his neck, and he and Kiba shuffled Kakashi behind the curtain and out of sight.

_We will meet again. It is our fate._

The words repeated in Naruto's mind and he felt cold to the bone. His muscles tensed. It was a memory that felt so real; like Danzo had just whispered it into his ear.

"Come on," Kiba urged, his voice lulling Naruto out of his trance. Konohamaru jogged beside Naruto and he seemed to be thinking deeply about something. Ten-ten stayed near to Gaara, every once-in-a-while casting a seething glance back to the near-lifeless body draped between Kiba and Naruto.

By the time they got outside, Naruto had calmed, but only slightly. He was still worried about Kakashi, especially because the jostling couldn't possibly help the broken ribs Gaara had caused. He stopped after they traveled a couple of blocks, and Kiba jerked backwards, giving him an irritated glance.

"What now?"

The comment caused everyone else to pause and turn, and Naruto took a deep breath, glaring very seriously at Gaara as the Aliqui's emerald eyes sought out his in skepticism.

"Fix him."

Ten-ten propped her hip into the air and crossed her arms over her chest. "You are in no position to be giving demands--"

"I'm not talking to you," Naruto bit out, feeling guilty after the harsh words defied what was left of his patience. Gaara stared at him for a few seconds before glancing down to Kakashi, looking unreasonably agitated.

"I can't."

"Bullshit," Naruto returned. Sasuke had healed him, after all.

"Naruto--" Kiba sounded cautious; always the friend who sought to stop confrontations before they started. This argument was one Naruto had no intention of giving into, and so he never let his attention waver from the Aliqui in front of him.

This time, it was Gaara that interrupted. "I can't," he repeated, sounding unphased by the growl in Naruto's tone. "I don't know how."

A deep breath made Naruto's voice louder and his tone seem more aggressive. "You don't know how. You know how to kill someone without touching them, but you don't know how to fix your mistakes." There were no inflections in his disbelieving voice.

Gaara raised an eyebrow. "This was no mistake."By _this_, he meant Kakashi and his injury.

Words caught in Naruto's throat when he found himself unable to summon a good enough response. Finally, he stammered, "Kakashi's never done anything to you!"

Konohamaru's eyes widened and he looked confused. "You know him?" His comment, while heard, went ignored.

"He has been marked. He is a danger to us all," Gaara explained, his voice unnaturally muted. Naruto adjusted the older man's weight over his shoulder and his nose crinkled in distaste.

"I have one too. Doesn't that make me dangerous? Are you going to break my ribs, too?" The air turned cold at the invitation, and Ten-ten rolled her eyes, mistaking his intensity for petulance.

Konohamaru looked nervous and held up a hand in defense. "No, of course--"

"Yes, you are dangerous," Gaara responded. "But Danzo seems to like you, which means you're worth keeping around."

Naruto seethed. "You just helped me disobey him," he spat, implying that saving Kakashi had been against Danzo's wishes. Ten-ten breathed deeply, but it was Kiba who spoke, his voice low and speculative.

"If Danzo hadn't wanted you to help him...he wouldn't have let you."

Naruto bit his lips and shook his head. "You're all crazy. Kill this and kill that--where will that get you? You don't know them, and you certainly don't know _him_," Naruto said, nudging Kakashi, "and you sure as hell don't know me. That man is a lunatic. All he will bring you is pain. Finding satisfaction in..in _this_ is disgusting."

He wrestled Kakashi away from Kiba, and the brunet reluctantly let go. Using the momentum of his conviction as strength, he hoisted Kakashi over, pulling him up to piggy-back, being as gentle as he could with the man's injured stomach. No one replied straight away to his comment, but he hadn't expected them to.

As he begrudgingly began to shuffle away, Kiba's voice sounded estranged. "Where are you going?"

Naruto spoke through a groan, silently fuming that Kakashi weighed more than he was willing to admit. "To find someone who _can_ help."

Silence followed him as he turned towards a street he was sure would have late night cabs. His muscles protested against the body curled over his shoulders, and he ran through his options bitterly.

He could take Kakashi to a hospital, but they would easily discover that he wasn't normal. His eye would probably drive any medical technician insane with curiosity, and he didn't want to have to make up a story he wasn't clever enough to keep up with. If he took Kakashi to his house, there was no promising he'd provide decent medical care. He didn't know anything about broken ribs and potential internal bleeding, and he wasn't prepared to take an emergency first aid course over the internet.

Naruto had roomed with a few college buddies that had been pre-med, but they hadn't kept in touch after they graduated. In the time when he hadn't had insurance, he had gone to an under-the-counter clinic, but it had long since closed. With his options dwindling, Naruto turned another corner and slumped back against the plexiglass wall of the cab waiting station, using it to relieve some of the strain from Kakashi's weight.

There was a sound from beside him, and he nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw that it was Konohamaru.

"Why are you following me?" Naruto tried to lace the agitation in his voice with a nicer tone, but wasn't quite successful. For once the teenager wasn't chewing gum, so when he spoke, his words were clear.

"Because you obviously can't take care of yourself." Konohamaru stepped forward towards the curb and held out a hand, whistling loud through pursed lips in an effort to snag a cab faster. Naruto opened his mouth to say something, but Kakashi's weight being relieved from his shoulders made him nearly spin around in surprise.

Kiba and Gaara pulled Kakashi back against them, and Naruto was nearly about to scramble to re-collect the man for himself. Gaara placed a hand against his chest and Naruto froze before releasing a deep breath. "Are you going to kill me?"

The Aliqui snorted. "Hardly."

Kiba cracked a lopsided smile and took a step forward towards the cab that Konohamaru had hailed. "I already lost you once. I'm not so sure I want you to disappear again, thinking it was my fault."

He and Gaara lifted Kakashi into the backseat of the cab, and Konohamaru helped to guide the man from within. Naruto glanced around, noticing that one member of the small party was missing.

"Where's Ten-ten?" he asked with hesitation. He stepped forward and realized the only seat left for him would be the front passenger.

Konohamaru answered. "She had better things to do."

Kiba snorted as he squeezed himself into the remaining space of the back seat. "She didn't skip out, if that's what you're implying. But someone has to stay at the apartment in case we get an assignment."

As Naruto climbed into the passenger seat, the driver gave him a wry look. "You've got too many people in my car," he stated, looking skeptically at Kakashi who still appeared half dead. Kiba clutched the older man closer to him, doing a good job of pressing the bloodstained parts of Kakashi's shirt closer to himself and out of the cabby's sight.

Naruto frowned and concocted a half-believable explanation on the fly. "What can I say? The guy can't hold his liquor. I can't let_ him_ take a cab," he said, motioning towards Konohamaru, "because he's a minor, and the other two are from out of town."

The driver didn't look convinced, but he seemed to be considering. A wad of bills was suddenly jammed beneath his nose by Konohamaru who looked like he had dealt with worse a man on the streets. It was accepted after a slim moment, and Naruto released a breath when the car roared to life as it zoomed onto the street.

"So, where to?" the driver asked, not bothering to avert his gaze from the road ahead. Naruto only had one idea left as to where to go, but his memory was a hazy place in terms of recalling exactly where he had been.

The buildings had been nice and the street had been clean, and it couldn't have been far from the museums and libraries of the city. "Head towards the educational district," Naruto finally said, and he peered around the car for a loose-leaf address book. He wasn't even sure if they made them anymore.

"What's in the educational district?" Kiba asked, raising an eyebrow. Naruto didn't answer, but instead, turned his attention to the driver.

"Do you have any listings?"

The driver looked irritated but as the pricing gage raised another dollar, he seemed less affected. There was a digital GPS on the dashboard, and after he pressed a few buttons, the screen changed to what looked like an online directory.

Naruto leaned forward and scrolled through it.

_Uchiha._

It was a rare name, so he wouldn't have to worry about there being multiples. He scrolled to the letter _U_ and searched, but didn't find a match. He bit his lip.

"You can search by first name with this one, too," the driver supplied, as if reading his frustration. "Some people file under there first names, since there are so many multiples…"

Naruto scrolled to the listings that started with the letter _I_, hoping that he would have some luck. The only Aliqui he knew and knew could help Kakashi _was_ Itachi, and when he stumbled across the name, original enough to be the only Itachi on the page, he suddenly had second thoughts.

His last encounter had been less than safe. Itachi was a manipulative man, and Naruto wasn't sure if he would make it out alive this time if he went of his own volition. A glance back to Kakashi helped to clear his doubts, however, and he decided that some risks were worth the potential consequences.

"This address here," Naruto directed, poking the touch screen where _Itachi U_ was lit. The driver obeyed and made a quick right to jump on a freeway, taking a shortcut to the outskirts of the library district.

Gaara's voice was unwavering when he spoke, suspicion lined in a question. "Do you know others like me?"

Naruto twisted his head to meet eyes with the Aliqui and nodded in response. "Just one, aside from him," he answered honestly, nodding towards Kakashi. _At least here on Earth,_ his mind mentally supplied.

"Whose side is he on?" Gaara asked, and Naruto frowned. Itachi certainly owed nothing to the council or Aliqui, but he hadn't been an advocate for Naruto's human rights either.

"No one's, I don't think," Naruto answered truthfully. The rest of the trip was met with silence until the driver read off the total. Naruto didn't have enough cash to pay for it, but Konohamaru seemed to have pocketed his entire life earnings in his wallet as he paid for the rest.

Naruto allowed the others to get Kakashi safely out of the car before looking up to a painfully familiar stairwell that led to an apartment he only had the familiarity of fear with. He took a deep breath and turned to guide the others, trying to renew his confidence with each passing step. After struggling to get Kakashi upstairs, they finally arrived at the door, and Naruto summoned his strength and knocked.

"You look awfully nervous to be visiting a friend," Konohamaru stated, and Naruto shied back from the door when he heard a bolt lock move.

"He's not exactly a friend…" Naruto murmured, and when he was greeted with a face that made his heart throb with the memory of Sasuke, he lost his train of thought.

"Look at the miracle," Itachi spoke, looking bizarrely intrigued. "I half expected you to be dead by now." His figure was slender and tall, and everything about him looked perfectly human, except for the glowing haze of power in his eyes and the nearly-glowing texture of his skin. "I could kill you, you know."

Naruto stepped forward, a hesitant swallow sounding loud inside his head. "I know," he nodded. A part of him even suspected that would be the outcome. "Help me."

He locked eyes with Itachi, and the Aliqui gazed past him, finding Kakashi in the cluster of people behind Naruto in the hallway. His expression dimmed, and Naruto hoped they weren't too late.

As if shocked by Naruto's choice in who to consider an ally, Gaara nearly growled. Naruto didn't blame him and felt his skin prickle when Gaara's aura flooded the hallway.

"You knew there was an Uchiha on Earth and you didn't say anything?"

Naruto frowned when Gaara yelled at him and then shook his head. "It wasn't my place to tell—"

Itachi let out a laugh that drowned out all of what Naruto had been aiming to say. "Please don't tell me you've taken to making friends with demis," Itachi mocked, staring at Gaara, who fumed.

"Demi?" Naruto raised an eyebrow, wondering just what Gaara was 'half' of. He shook his head, doing his best to regain his train of thought and not be distracted. "It doesn't have anything to do with them, just Kakashi."

Itachi watched Naruto for a long while, looking a little like he was seeing something that only he was able to see. "Why would you come back to me?" he asked, and the question didn't carry his usual tone. It was genuine, and Naruto felt like Kakashi's health depended on his answer.

"He has Uchiha blood…you're the only one that can help him without poisoning him." It was the truth, because Naruto wasn't prepared to make up a sugar-coated lie. "Please help him. I'll do whatever you want."

Gaara looked to the side, his expression reading a bit like Naruto had said something he shouldn't have. Konohamaru looked like a cat on edge, bristling at the neck, and Kiba was too preoccupied summoning all of his strength to support his half of Kakashi.

"What makes you think I want anything from you?" Itachi questioned, looking half-interested.

Naruto looked him straight in the eye. "You didn't get what you wanted the last time we met," he replied, knowing it was true. In fact, he hoped that he was a good enough bargaining piece, especially when Kakashi was growing paler by the minute. "I'm still alive."

Itachi smirked, but not before a glimpse of intrigue swept through his sight. He allowed the group in and pointed towards a dining area, and made a motion that pretty much said to drop the injured man onto its surface.

Kiba heaved a sigh of relief and swung his arm a couple of times to get the life back into it after Kakashi was sprawled out on the table, and as Itachi walked into the small area, Gaara reached his limit with tolerating the Aliqui he bore such a grudge against.

"This is ridiculous," he stated. Itachi looked unaffected as he rolled up his sleeves. When he spoke, there was no anger in his voice, only distaste.

"Your existence is ridiculous. Please don't think a half-breed like you has any right to judge me," he said calmly. "If you had any value you would have been able to do this yourself."

Naruto felt the smack of the comment even if it wasn't directed to him, and Gaara turned heel to leave the small room. Kiba followed, but not after giving Naruto an unforgiving look. Even if Itachi was cruel…Naruto didn't have anyone else to turn to.

He could feel the Itachi's power bubbling around them, tickling the hair on his arms. But he had felt it once before. He had been the victim of it before. The others…Naruto didn't want to admit it, but the most powerful aura they had ever experienced up close had probably been Gaara's, and in comparison…

"I'm quite pleased to see that you are still alive," Itachi said, though it was hard to decipher if he meant it. Konohamaru watched them both nervously, but his pride hid it well.

Naruto watched as Itachi un-did the buttons of Kakashi's shirt and he inhaled sharply when he saw the purple hue the older man's stomach had inherited. He looked back up to Itachi in an effort to distract himself.

"Are you really?" The question was cynical in nature, but Naruto supposed there was some truth to it.

Itachi's hands settled over Kakashi's stomach and at once, the fat seemed to ripple beneath the skin as the process of healing Itachi used began to work. Konohamaru averted his gaze, the sight too inhuman to watch.

"I take it you saw the Council," Itachi continued, unphased by the effort he seemed to be making.

Naruto nodded slowly, wondering if telling Itachi what he had been through was betraying any secrets he had promised to keep. "Yeah. They…said I could live."

Itachi snorted. "Obviously."

His hands moved higher and Naruto could distinctly hear the sound of bones grinding together and sliding through mushy muscle. He swallowed the bile that threatened to rise in his throat.

Itachi spoke again. "Under what circumstances?"

Naruto opened his mouth but found the question difficult to answer. Why did he suddenly feel like they were having an intimate conversation? Konohamaru peered up at him, eyes calculating just what exactly the conversation was about. Naruto realized just how little the others knew about him, and returned his thoughts to the question at hand.

"The circumstances were that I could never see him again." Naruto looked down to Kakashi's face which now had hints of life to distract from the pale. "The Council thought that would be best."

There was a weight in the room suddenly, and Itachi's hands drifted higher, searching for more injuries to alleviate. His lips moved unconsciously as he continued the conversation.

"The council is corrupt," Itachi stated. "I still feel my brother in you. I wonder if they still sense you inside of him?" There was a look of unbridled curiosity on his face, and Konohamaru raised an eyebrow, wondering what that meant but not brave enough to ask.

"It's disgusting," Itachi's nose crinkled. "After all of this time you still reek of him." He shook his head and stepped away from the table, signifying that he was done. Kakashi looked peacefully asleep and it set Naruto's anxiety at ease. He shifted his attention to address Kakashi's comment.

"I don't think the bond Sasuke and I have is something that will ever go away," he explained, not quite sure how to put the thought into words. "Every time I try it just finds its way back. Why do you hate Sasuke so much, anyway?"

Itachi watched him through narrowed eyes, and for a moment, Naruto felt like he had overstepped his own curiosity's boundaries. After all, he hadn't seen Itachi for months, and the last time they had encountered each other they had played a dangerous game of cat and mouse. Naruto wasn't in the position to ask so many questions, and he knew it.

"Sasuke chose to work under the council, even after the clan was hunted down. Even when his own brother was banished here, on Earth. Don't try and tell me that you would have feelings of gratitude or kindness towards such obvious abandonment." It was obvious from Itachi's expression that he was telling the truth, though Naruto had the feeling that over the years, Itachi had lost any faith he had ever carried in his sibling.

Naruto leaned back against the bar-top counter of Itachi's kitchen and crossed his arms over his chest. What Itachi said was true. "I'd be mad, too. But…wasn't Sasuke really young?"

"He was old enough to know what he was doing," Itachi supplied, growing noticeably irritated. "And now, of all the Uchiha that risked and sacrificed their lives to come here in search for their twin flames, _he_ is the one to find his."

Itachi stepped closer to Naruto and ran a pale finger down his cheek and their eyes met. "And he doesn't even want you."

The words hit Naruto's gut and knocked the wind from his chest. He slapped Itachi's hand away. "It has nothing to do with that," he started.

"It has _everything_ to do with the fact that he hasn't tried to come back for you. Quit deluding yourself, human. As tied as you two may be, my brother is used to leaving things behind."

Naruto felt the impact of those words deep in his chest. He struggled to respond. "I don't know what you're talking about. I don't expect him to come back."

Itachi smirked, and the expression was chilling. "What if he does, but it's not for you?"

"What are you talking about?" Naruto shook his head, feeling a bit like he was losing his mind. Itachi left the dining room in favor of the living room, and Naruto hurriedly followed.

"Why would he come back? Is he okay?"

Gaara and Kiba were seated on Itachi's black leather couch and their attention turned upwards at the tension building between Itachi and Naruto.

Itachi shook his head. "You humans. Even with our mark or our blood," he tossed a weary glance at Gaara, "you still have no concept of what's going on around you."

Naruto remained silent, his only words spoken through an icy glare he was giving the elder brother. Itachi, whether he knew it or not, liked to talk. Naruto remembered how he had been told so much before the cat and mouse game had begun, and he knew it was Itachi's weakness.

Regardless of how powerful Itachi was, he was lonely.

"The next time they come, it won't be for pleasantries. There are dangerous men in this era, and occupying this planet will be the solution to dissolving them. I've felt it for a day now—that ship's return. Along with others. Trust me, Naruto. When my brother returns, it will not be to reclaim you. To protect you, maybe—so that he doesn't turn castro—but if you are lucky, you will end up an Aliqui pet."

The comment settled in the room like a heavy burden. An impossible scenario, no matter how Naruto looked at it. "They're going to invade?"

Itachi sat down onto a lush leather chair and ran a hand through his hair, swooping his fallen bangs into the mix. "They must, you see. There is already someone more powerful than them here. It's a threat, and they aren't as patient as they used to be."

Gaara looked disbelieving and it was obvious he had an aura of killing intention when it came to his opinion of Itachi. "You're saying that in a couple of days, the Earth will be under siege?"

Itachi shrugged. 'Something like that."

Gaara frowned even more. "And you know this, how?"

Itachi crossed his legs and relaxed. "It's in my blood. I know my people better than anyone. Which brings me to my case and point." He glanced to Naruto and raised an eyebrow. "You said that you would do anything in return for me playing doctor?"

Naruto hesitated. "Yes?"

"Good. You'll be my student for the few days we have before they arrive. I have a feeling that when they come, they'll come for you in some way or another." Itachi licked his lips.

Naruto was confused. "What are you talking about?"

Itachi didn't blink. "If you're going to help protect your planet, you'll need to know how to use that mark effectively. And if you're going to win over my brother, you're going to need to be as strong as him."

Naruto's eyebrows cinched and Gaara nearly leapt to his feet. "You're insane. There is no war coming. You're a delusional Uchiha that was abandoned here because your family tried to—"

"My family?" Itachi quirked. "Yours as well. Was your mother or father a human? That may explain why your manners aren't where they should be."

Gaara leapt at Itachi and Naruto stumbled backwards, remembering the blurs of movement from a fight he had witnessed so long ago that it seemed like a dream. Sasuke and Itachi had fought for a long while back then, and skillfully. And while Gaara had managed to overpower Naruto, now, Itachi had the upper hand.

In the blink of an eye Gaara was slammed back against the wall, and Itachi feigned a yawn. "Honestly."

Naruto stepped forward and held up a hand. "I'll learn from you," he said, before glancing to Gaara. "So just stop."

Itachi released Gaara and drifted away, but not before casting Kiba and Konohamaru, who had followed the commotion from the dining room, cautious glares.

"It's two in the morning and I'm tired. We'll start later today."

Itachi disappeared into his bedroom and closed the door and Gaara remained silent as he rubbed the sore spot on his chest. Everyone looked at Naruto, confused. And even if Naruto didn't fully understand, he had a feeling he was catching on the most.

"I think…it's time you tell us everything that happened to you," Kiba said, trying to open the doors for a companionship between the group.

Taking a deep breath, Naruto sat down on the floor, and told them the truth.

He told them about what had happened at the military base and how Kakashi had saved him, and how he had met two substantial figures of the Hyuuga family. About how he had gone with Itachi and fought for his life, and about Sasuke defeating him just before the meeting with the elders. Then he told them about the ship, about his sentence, and most important of all, about the government's bizarre role in everything.

He was sparse on information about his connection with Sasuke, however, because he wasn't sure how to explain it himself. Not willing to admit it could be something more, he just referred to it as ownership, as proved by the mark.

"How do we know we can believe you?" Konohamaru asked, although he looked like he had been easily convinced.

Naruto pulled a blanket from the couch as he felt the exhaustion of his day and night tickle his mind and shrugged. "Because I'm the only one who hasn't picked a side."

The dark room was lost to silence and then to dreams.

* * *

**a/n:** Yay! So I'm running a bit late so I can't leave a long note like usual. We will learn why Itachi's had a change of heart in the next chapter, and also more about why Naruto is suddenly so special—despite the fact that no one, not even himself, seems to know why! Haha, poor guy. Poor Gaara, too. We'll learn about his demi-ness in the next chapter as well. And also what everyone thinks about Naruto's story, really. This was just another one of those 'get from point A to point B' chapters…lol.

The only thing I can think to mention is how manipulative Danzo is. He really is crazy. He makes Naruto feel like he did him a favor by allowing Naruto that 'honor' of killing Kakashi, and it's going to mess with his head. Or try to. Maybe.

Okay, I've got to go to work. Thank you for all of your reviews and more importantly, for reading. And I'm sorry for typos! It's totally un-beta'd and stuff! Agh!

:sends text saying she'll be late to work:


	10. Chapter 9

**Slumberland**

**Author:** Ladelle

**Comments:** Sorry for the delay. I'm going to Fanime at the end of May and have been wracking my brain trying to build this prop bazooka.

Thank you so much for your comments and reviews, and the general love for this story.

As usual, I will leave a nice little author's note at the end.

* * *

**Chapter 9:**

It was a mantra, echoing in the farthest reaches of Naruto's unwaking mind. Like a song lost in the shapes of a bitter dream, washed away with strokes of black and grey. There was no sense in panicking, he thought vaguely as he opened his eyes and rich colors flooded his senses.

Naruto squinted when the sun nearly blinded him and rolled onto his side, peeling himself away from the beam of light pouring in through the living room window. In contrast to the coldness of his dream, Naruto was suddenly warm and extremely aware. The room he was in was not his own.

There were whispers, and Naruto wondered if they were inside his head. The remnants of some dream, or some conversation with his conscience while he slept. He sat up and realized that he was the first to wake, and was surprised that everyone else had slept so soundly after such an eventful night. The room was filled with near-silent breathing, rhythmic and calm, but not the voices that Naruto still heard.

He turned his head towards the door that segued into the dining room and got to his feet, tip-toeing around Konohamaru who was lying beside him. The carpet was plush against his bare feet as he walked towards the other room, the voices growing louder. His fingers met the soft wood grain of the door and he pushed it forward, revealing the dining room to his tired eyes.

Seated at the table were Kakashi and Itachi, drinking tea, and the sight caught Naruto off guard. He frowned and glanced between the two of them before Itachi scooted an empty chair back invitingly. "Would you like some tea?"

Caught unaware by the pure kindness of the action, Naruto found himself stepping backwards. "Is it poisoned?"

Itachi released an irritated sigh and Kakashi smiled, and at once, Naruto knew that he wasn't caught in a dream. It had been so long since he had seen Kakashi with that very same expression and he knew his imagination couldn't create such a perfect replica of the memory.

"It's nice to see you again too," Kakashi said, and Naruto hadn't noticed that the older man's smile had been contagious. His lips were suddenly caught in a grin of their own, and he readily took the seat that was offered to him by Itachi.

"I was really worried about you," Naruto started, remembering the mixed emotions that he had the night before. He was thankful that relief had washed them away because he could still feel the panic crawling on his skin. "Why were you..." Naruto wasn't sure how to phrase his question.

Kakashi sniffled and Naruto realized that his lids were drawn and heavy. He was probably exhausted. Despite that, he answered Naruto as best as he could. "I wouldn't give them information."

"Information on _you_," Itachi added, his tone once again returned to its cool demeanor. "It seems like you're pretty popular."

Wondering how that was possible, Naruto frowned. His fingers fiddled in his lap and he rubbed his lips together, trying to make sense of what he knew and the clues about what he didn't. "Why me?"

"From when you were at the facility," Kakashi explained, and his voice sounded like it ached to speak. "Your mark, and the fact you were still alive. Not many humans find their Aliqui counterpart...and I'm sure once Danzo caught wind that someone named Naruto did, he sent his dogs on your trail."

Naruto's stomach sank. "That led them to you," he stated, and then frowned. "Why does the mark even matter? There's nothing special about it. I haven't changed. I don't know anything important." In his eyes, his statement was completely true. Except for the fact that the majority of his thoughts were constantly filled with Sasuke, nothing about the mark benefited him.

If that could even be considered a benefit.

"It seems that way at first," Kakashi said, but he didn't elaborate, only coughed a little.

Itachi filled the void the other man wouldn't. "You need to learn. You're naive, obviously, since your first thought was to bring _him_ here for aid." The Aliqui motioned towards Kakashi and Naruto had the slightest notion that they didn't care for each other too much, which made complete sense in retrospect. They both seemed to care about Naruto's well-being however, and it seemed like that was bringing them together.

"You need to learn the language. You also need to learn to control your mark. And also to fight, and to be a little less human," Itachi was direct, and his eyes stared holes into Naruto's.

The air conditioning in the room turned on, and the noise filled the small silence that followed Itachi's statement.

"I want to be stronger," Naruto stated, unsure of what it meant. He didn't know what he needed to be prepared for, but he wanted to be ready no matter what.

Itachi snorted. "If you want to defeat Danzo, you'll _need _to be stronger," he clarified. Naruto noticed that his fingernails were painted black and found it contrasting to the white button-up that seemed so professional slimmed to his figure. He looked so much like Sasuke that Naruto couldn't help but stare, wondering just what the differences between them were.

Itachi had bags under his eyes, like he had gone years without sleeping. Sasuke had looked tired, but not as worn. They both had the same unbelievably pale skin and silky black hair that seemed to naturally fall to compliment the near-perfect high set cheekbones of their faces. There was something delicate about their expressions, but brutally cold beyond a simple gaze. The eyes of someone who was tamed and clever, and cruel.

"Naruto."

The blond shook his head and sat back, Kakashi's voice pulling him from his trance. It was like being shot back to reality; it was strange how empty Naruto felt knowing that he would never see Sasuke again.

Itachi looked amused. "Do I look that much like him?"

Naruto could sense the sarcasm and rolled his eyes. "There's something about Sasuke that's kinder."

Laughing eerily, Itachi waved a hand.. "That's probably true. Although this time, I'm not going to try and kill either of you. Despite the fact you are a very entertaining toy."

"I'm not afraid of you, remember?" Naruto threw back, somehow getting used to discerning when Itachi was attempting to be humorous. It was a fine line that Itachi walked, but Naruto felt as though he was in the right place.

The pot of heated water on the stove whistled and Naruto jumped, but not before leaping to his feet to grab it, since he was closest. There was a box of assorted teabags on the table, and Itachi rose from his seat to get Naruto a cup. It wasn't long before all three of them had a steaming mug before them, and after a small and satisfying sip, Itachi returned to his seat and looked suddenly serious.

"We should continue from where we left off," he said to Kakashi, hinting that a conversation of a much larger scale had occurred before Naruto had shown up. The other man nodded, and Naruto returned to his seat, wanting in on whatever the other two knew.

"Danzo has gotten stronger," Kakashi said, starting what seemed to be the 'real' topic of conversation. Itachi looked like he agreed but there was a certain distaste that aired in his tone.

"I try to make an effort to not get involved with human affairs. He's made it quite difficult."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "You're involved with me," he stated.

"For my brother's sake, believe me." Itachi's lips barely moved.

Questioning the possibility of that, Naruto opened his mouth only to be interrupted by Itachi continuing. He spoke to Kakashi though, not Naruto.

"I'm convinced that Sasuke's destiny is to be involved in the war to come. To right our name. And so for the time being, I'll play nice with the human population, namely this one here." His eyes flickered towards Naruto.

The tea was hot against Naruto's lips as he took a sip, wondering quietly to himself just what Itachi meant. Even though he felt irresistibly attached to the Aliqui, he couldn't help but be constantly reminded that he wasn't one of them. He was only human. But even so, Earth was his home, and if a war was on its way, he had a right to know about it.

"We don't know that this will lead to war," Kakashi said softly. He seemed very contemplative, as if he doubted his own words. Itachi sat back in his chair and took a small drink from his cup before replying.

"If you see a tea bag and a pot of boiling water, you can safely assume that a drink will be the result. The same goes for the Aliqui and Danzo, only the result is less tasty and slightly more tragic. There will be a war, Inheriter. One that won't be forgotten."

Naruto felt it in his gut. Life had never settled after the ship had left and taken Sasuke with it. He was starting to realize that it wasn't just his bond with Sasuke that that created the weight in his stomach, but something more. He knew that, deep down, what Itachi was saying was right. How Naruto knew, he wasn't sure, but with every fiber of his being he believed that the Aliqui would return.

He twisted to face Itachi, not quite missing the introspective gaze Kakashi had acquired while gazing into his teacup. "After this war the Aliqui will stay, won't they?"

Itachi looked caught off guard by the question, even if his stoic expression failed to deceive him. He contemplated mutely before releasing a deep breath. "Probably."

"They haven't lived here for years. Why _now_ of all times would they decide to return?" Kakashi's tone hinted that he was weary of the whole idea. He set his teacup onto the table and Naruto noticed that his hand was shaking. Kakashi really was fatigued.

Itachi merely shrugged. "Danzo's a good excuse. Probably cements the Hyuuga frame of mind. The council probably thinks that, in order to prevent situations like Danzo from happening again, humans need monitoring."

Naruto didn't like the sound of that. Images of horror movies and pod people invaded his mind, even if he knew the Aliqui weren't too far from human. But if their idea of an ideal punishment was affecting someone's _soul_...Naruto didn't want to imagine the world's chaos during a takeover. Actually...he couldn't imagine it.

Just like the invasion, it was unbelievable. Too surreal. Not to mention...the world wouldn't be able to handle something like that.

"A lot of people would die if that happened," Naruto breathed, and as the words sunk in, so did his spirit. "They can't just...invade. We won't just..._let_ them."

The outburst caused Kakashi to glance up and Itachi merely shrugged again. "It's been in the works for ages. The council wanted the glory, but my clan stole it. The Hyuuga branch took care of that problem, and now, I'm assuming, they'll take advantage of the situation and plant seeds in the council's mind. When the ships return, it will be about pride and honor and not so much practicality."

Naruto slid back into his seat like he had been punched in the stomach. He buried his head in his hands. This definitely was _not_ how he envisioned himself and the Aliqui meeting again. In restrospect, Naruto wondered if he ever imagined them coming into contact with each other again at all.

Definitely not for a war.

"Regardless...Danzo needs to be stopped," Kakashi said. His voice was breathy and he leaned forward to rest his head on the table. "In the long run, he'd cause more trouble..."

Itachi nodded and Naruto's eyebrows pinched together. "I don't think _either_ possible end is a good one."

"At this point in time, it's the lesser of two evils," Kakashi muttered, his eyes slipping closed.

The steam from Naruto's tea had long since disappeared, and he stared into the liquid like it would, at any moment, give him answers. It remained still however, and he felt a headache coming on.

"I'm confused," Naruto stated, running a hand through his hair, hoping it didn't look as messy as it felt. "Why do the Aliqui live in spaceships anyway?"

Itachi downed the last of his tea with a certain grace and his lips moved like he had been asked to recite an automated response. "The gods wanted to separate--"

"You told me that before. So, what. The gods gave you _spaceships_?"

Itachi didn't look affected by Naruto's cynicism as he answered. "When humans and Aliqui were whole, they built them."

Naruto didn't believe it. "How?"

"The same way people build things now. Labor. When Aliqui and humans were one entity, they were incredibly brilliant. When the gods separated them, the smart half got technology, the idiot other half got the planet. And while humans are catching up with technology, they're destroying the planet in the process." Itachi stood and reached across the table to take Kakashi's teacup, still half full, as the other man slept soundlessly. He moved to the kitchen after Naruto handed him his own cup.

"Why didn't the Aliqui come back?" Naruto wondered, thinking that life lived on a spacecraft wouldn't be as much fun as days and nights spent beneath the sun, moon, stars, and the gentle breezes between.

Itachi rinsed the cups and set them aside as he spoke. "They were ordered not to. But the gods that banned the Aliqui from humans no longer exist. Just the council."

Naruto frowned. "What happened to them?" He felt like a little kid, learning a bedtime story.

"People stopped believing in them," a new voice chimed in, though Gaara was darkly serious as he entered the kitchen. Itachi gave him a wry look and Naruto wondered if they could stand being in the same room together without murdering each other. So far, so good, though it had only been less than a minute.

"So...the gods that _physically_ separated humans from Aliqui," Naruto clarified, glancing between the both of them, "_died_ because no one believes in them?"

Itachi scoffed. "Gods don't die. They just disappear."

Naruto wondered what the difference was. He didn't ask.

Gaara invited himself into Itachi's kitchen and opened a few cabinets before he found a glass, and then poured himself some water. Itachi, who was still standing by the sink, licked his lips with distaste.

"Names hold power," Gaara said, after he drank the whole glass down. "For someone with a mark you're remarkably uninformed."

This time Naruto frowned, especially when he felt the scar flare to life after a simple mentioning of it. "I haven't had my entire life to figure it out," he snapped, feeling on edge, what with war being the topic of conversation.

Gaara opened his mouth to speak, but thought twice and pulled his lips together. Itachi on the other hand, didn't hold back.

"Which is why you need to learn as much _now_ as you can. If you wanted, you could be stronger than my brother." Itachi snagged the empty glass from Gaara and began to rinse it out, ignoring the sour face he got in return.

Naruto almost laughed, but the idea was so ludicrous that he coughed instead. "Right."

"I still don't understand why an Aliqui would mark you and then teach you nothing." Gaara stated, looking genuinely bothered. He drifted past Naruto and took a seat in what had been Itachi's chair at the table before shaking his head. "Actually, I'm not surprised. He was _Aliqui_, after all."

Thankful that he had as much patience as he did, Naruto bit back from saying anything he would regret. Instead, he put a finger to his lips before directing Gaara's attention to the sleeping Kakashi. Quietly he replied, "He didn't know I was his other half."

Gaara frowned. "_Likely stor__y._"

Naruto retaliated by frowning back.

Itachi rubbed the bridge of his nose in irritation. "Let's go up to the roof and start the training."

Naruto nearly leapt up from the table and bit his lip when his knee collided with it, causing Kakashi to murmur in his sleep.

"Nice," Gaara sat back into his chair and pocketed his hands, looking bemused by Naruto's glare. Itachi stared at Gaara for a few long seconds before taking a deep breath.

"You should come as well."

The redhead raised an eyebrow, clearly looking disinterested but curious at the request. Itachi moved towards the dining room exit and glanced back to him. "I think like an Aliqui. You think like a human. He may need you."

There was an insult in Itachi's statement, somewhere, but regardless Gaara chose to come. When Naruto gave him an obstinate look, Gaara narrowed his eyes. "You won't become stronger than me," he said defiantly.

Naruto suddenly had a feeling that his closest means of help was sabotage. Regardless, he and Gaara followed Itachi through the living room where the others were still asleep, retrieved their shoes and made way for the rooftop.

* * *

"I guess I feel the mark the most when I'm thinking about it...but really, it usually flares up on its own," Naruto sat down on a shaded part of heated concrete, and Itachi followed in suit. Gaara stayed standing, and leaned back against the wall of the entryway door, still looking unconvinced that anything Itachi had to teach was worth while.

Itachi's eyes closed as a breeze sifted between them and when he opened them, his iris' were blood red. Naruto scrambled backwards, caught off guard with his heart racing. Even Gaara moved forward slightly, sensing a new sort of energy and intensity from the older man.

"You have power, Naruto. Everyone does. Sasuke awakened it, but it's you who has to utilize it." Itachi shifted and his eyes raked Naruto's being as he came forward and settled again. The heat under Itachi's gaze was frightening. Like prey under the careful watch of a hunter, Naruto felt hunted.

"What are you thinking, Naruto?" Itachi's voice was still calm, even if his gaze made Naruto's skin crawl.

"I'm...intimidated," Naruto replied, careful to not use the word 'scared'. He hadn't felt Itachi's aura for three months, and remembered the trauma he had felt from their first encounter.

Itachi's eyes curled upwards along with his smile. "Good. You should be. This 'intimidation'--you should be able to create it as well. It's all a matter of focusing your aura. You did it before, when we fought. Have you done it since?"

Naruto didn't know what Itachi was referring to at all. "I did what?"

He remembered their fight. He remembered feeling hyper-intuitive and being able to avoid a few of Itachi's attacks. In his memories, the whole scene just spoke panic to him; adrenaline rushing and his body reacting.

"You did it with me. At the apartment," Gaara added, though when Naruto looked up to him, it was as if he had never spoken to begin with. When he tried to place what Gaara was referring to, he could only remember their fight...and another mix of stamina and adrenaline thrown together.

Naruto frowned. "I just remember feeling like I had to act fast. I didn't _do_ anything."

A bird whistled in the distance and Itachi made a decisive sound. "You haven't tried to understand the mark, have you?"

Again, Naruto felt confused. "I do understand it. The mark connects Sasuke and I."

"Text book answer," Itachi sighed. He leaned forward and tugged up Naruto's sleeve, revealing the scar. Naruto absently held the fabric up while Itachi ran a finger over it and smirked. "I forgot."

He dragged his finger down the length of the design and Naruto felt it burn. He clenched his teeth and yanked himself away; even Gaara looked weary about his motive.

"Feel better?" Itachi asked, and after a moment, Naruto realized that it did. He had almost forgotten that Itachi had done something to his mark long ago; blocked it somehow. After Naruto nodded, Itachi pressed his palm to the mark and made a quick statement. "Good. This, on the other hand, will not feel better."

It hurt like hell. Whatever Itachi was doing felt like every bone in Naruto's body was out of his control. Like they were tensing, stiffening, ready to crack and splinter and snap clear in half. Naruto felt his teeth grind together as he cried out, and hear Gaara's voice in the distance.

Up closer was Itachi's. "Come on, Naruto. Concentrate."

Naruto could barely breathe, let alone focus. His lungs felt like they could burst and the terrifying realization _that _this was the way the creature Sasuke had saved him from had died sent him into a further state of panic. There was no room for adrenaline when you began to hyperventilate.

"Come on." Itachi sounded angry.

Naruto clenched his eyes closed and tried. He tried to push back the pain, to think of something else, but all he could see were flashes on the backs of his eyelids. Flashes of white hot pain that terrorized his skin, and the sluggish feel of bone marrow cementing his bones in such a way that he couldn't move. If he did, he was sure he would break.

Naruto had once gone to a seminar about different illnesses in an effort to fundraise with his house in college. He remembered one in particular; a disease where people's skeletons grew bones, all until the person inside became trapped; isolated in one position for their entire life--which usually wasn't very long.

Naruto felt like that now. Like his bones had become a solid cage inside of him; a cacoon for his organs and nothing more.

"Focus," Itachi hissed and Naruto felt the pain surge deeper into him. He bit his lip and tasted blood. The mark burned.

The mark.

Naruto focused on that burning instead. It was a different pain; it worked for him, not against him. In the darkness of his mind he sought out that feeling, the one _Itachi _wasn't causing. He found it, and like a blanket it enveloped him internally. He didn't feel anything else.

When the pain from Itachi faded, his mind's eye could only see in grayscale.

_Go away_.

Naruto felt the words whiz past him like they were some sort of breeze. The view in his mind spilled black, and he felt his lips move and his conscious speak.

_Sasuke_?

No reply.

Naruto wondered if he had passed out. It certainly felt like he was in a dream, watching as gray and white splotches drowned the back of his eyelids. Suddenly, more words seemed to echo in his mind.

_Get out._

Naruto felt something strange, like he knew something he wasn't supposed to. A blur of thoughts, hardly any that he understood.

Something about hiding, something about cold. The sounds of engines, and the feeling of anger.

Before he could dissect anything else color flooded his vision, and the bright and burning sun made him squint. He was flat on his back on the rooftop, and he reflexively sucked in a hefty amount of oxygen, convinced he couldn't breathe now that he realized where he was.

Nearly jumping up, it was Gaara that steadied him from falling over. Naruto clung to that support.

"What the _hell_ was that?!" Naruto growled, feeling a bit undeserving.

Itachi looked intrigued. "More power than I was expecting. What did you see?"

Naruto contemplated if he even wanted to admit to it. As he tried to remember, the experience seemed hazy. He repeated what he had seen and surprisingly, it was Gaara that replied to it.

"It really is like they're _one_ person..." he looked mystified.

Naruto scratched his nose. "One person what? _Was_ it Sasuke?"

Itachi looked perturbed. "If it was, and I'm pretty sure it was, we have less time to train you than I thought."

Not quite sure of how Itachi had come to that conclusion, Naruto felt his shoulders drop. Itachi clapped a hand on his back. "Cheer up. Sasuke's intentionally disobeying the Council in order to come and protect you. It's what you humans call romantic, right?"

Naruto wasn't quite sure why he believed Itachi so easily.

* * *

"Where'd everybody go?" Konohamaru rubbed his eyes and glanced around, finding it odd to see Kiba seated alone and looking thoughtfully at a wall. "Are you okay?"

Kiba turned and nodded. His clothes from the evening before were wrinkled and his hair was wildly styled from tossing and turning, and his eyes looked lost.

Konohamaru didn't believe him. "Are you sure? Because you're looking a little like you might turn into a zombie."

This comment earned a laugh. Kiba ran a hand through his hair and pulled through a couple of knots. "I just have a bad feeling. I felt this way before--the first time I saw them."

Konohamaru paused for a second, waiting for the feeling to become infectious, but it didn't. He took a deep breath and rolled his head to the side in order to stretch his neck. "It's always scary wondering what's going to happen. That's why you take it day by day."

Kiba smiled. "Yeah, that's true. I hate how Naruto's stuck in the middle."

"It seems that way, right?" Konohamaru sent his head the other way, soothing the other side of his neck from the pains of sleeping on a floor all night. "Naruto has a little bit more to worry about than us. I don't know what I'd do if I hated them and was connected to one at the same time. That's crazy."

Kiba was quiet, to the point that Konohamaru nudged him to get him back to their conversation. "You love him or something?"

Kiba scowled and looked like he had eaten a bug. "What? Hell no. He's just...really, the first friend I made here was Naruto. He probably doesn't remember, but he saved my job when I first started at the Marquis. He heard me talking about how I couldn't afford to lose the internship, and set me up under one of the higher-ups. He didn't have to. He just did. We hadn't even said anything past 'hello' at that point. He just overheard me...and then went to fix it."

Konohamaru pulled his knees to his chest, his feet swimming in the bells of his baggy pants. "That was nice of him." Not many people stepped out to help people they didn't know, and it was obvious to Konohamaru that Kiba had a certain admiration for Naruto that couldn't be put into words.

"Naruto doesn't hate them," Konohamaru corrected, thinking of his earlier statement. It was an odd truth, considering Konohamaru had been pretty sure that his goal was to destroy as many Aliqui as possible. He felt uninformed, and a bit like he trusted Naruto more than he trusted himself.

"He makes you not want to hate them either, doesn't he?" Kiba asked, already knowing the answer. His eyes narrowed and he looked forlorn. "I don't know what to believe anymore."

Konohamaru stood up and brushed invisible dust from his shirt. He smiled, and looked suddenly wise. "When in doubt, follow your heart. Or some cheesy shit like that."

Kiba frowned at his cursing but couldn't help but admit that Konohamaru had a point. And at the moment, his gut was willing him to trust Naruto.

* * *

**a/n:** Okay, so I know that this chapter is SUPER a lot shorter than usual, but everything that happens in the next chapter NEEDS to happen together, which means that Chapter 10 is going to be ridiculously long. Like…first chapter long. Maybe longer. And just as exciting, I promise.

Also, this chapter was actually pretty hard to write. I started writing chapter 11 already because I had incredible ideas for it, but I ended up putting myself in a place where I wasn't excited to write the stuff leading up to it, LOL. Boo, me. But chapter 11 has 12 pages already and I'll have an interlude up soon following chapter nine up soon.

I always feel funny when it's a month or so between updates because I write tons in between, it's just for different things. I'm writing a script for a comic for a sort-of freelance gig and that's been super fun, and then I wrote a funny one-shot that I'll post today…

Well, such is life, haha. Again, I'm sorry it's shorter. But really, look forward to the next chapter. Epic chapters are epic.


	11. Chapter 10

**Slumberland**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle

**Comments:** Thank you so much for all of your reviews! I did so well this week! I have been writing and drawing every day! And the bazookas are almost done…Hopefully by tomorrow they'll be complete!

You guys inspire me to do so much. Thank you so much. You really have no idea how much I am motivated by the fact that readers enjoy my work enough to review…and to keep reading.

So thank you thank you thank you. You make me, me.

* * *

**Chapter 10:**

"How much longer do I have to do this?"

"As long as it takes until you start to feel it," Itachi responded as he flipped through the morning paper nonchalantly.

Naruto, sitting cross-legged in the slimmest amount of shade left on the baking rooftop, broke his so-called meditation and wiped sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. He took a deep breath, recognized the fact he felt thirsty, and swallowed down what moisture was left in his mouth.

"My butt is starting to feel it," he muttered, shifting a bit in order to relieve the numbness seeping to his legs. Focusing had never been a strong point of his, so working to clear his mind was exceptionally difficult. Gaara had attempted to give him some advice, but it was even more elusive than Itachi's.

_Focus on the mark. Not enough that you reach Sasuke, but just far enough so that you see yourself._

Naruto felt his fist bunch. What did that even mean? He didn't have time to be stuck on something like knowing his body. No matter what he did, his _focusing_ just made him sleepy. He tried to stifle a yawn and Itachi quirked an eyebrow at him.

"You haven't come far enough to be bored."

Naruto frowned and stood up, knowing full well that he hadn't made any progress at all. "I'm thirsty. I'll be back in a minute."

If Itachi had planned to argue with him, Naruto didn't give him a chance before he disappeared inside, relishing the cool draft of air conditioning that dried the remaining perspiration on his skin. He felt his eyes water as he entered the apartment, and both Konohamaru and Kiba glanced up from a game of Old Maid they were struggling through.

"Naruto," Kiba said, very seriously. "The next time you take us on a field trip to a friend's house, can you please make sure they have cable?"

Konohamaru looked close to tears beside him. "Or at least a _TV_?"

Naruto glanced up and realized that Itachi didn't have a television set and suddenly pitied the two other boys more so than before. He didn't want to admit that his training was making him feel just as bored. As the door clicked closed behind him he sighed.

"Have either of you two ever meditated?" he asked, hoping to get a hint on how to improve his progress.

Konohamaru was the first to look like Naruto had asked something completely absurd because he raised an eyebrow. "Um. No."

After that, Kiba scratched the back of his neck. "Not really..."

Naruto sighed again. It had been worth a shot to ask, at least.

"You _still_ haven't figured it out?" Gaara strode out from the dining room, looking a bit like his cynicism had been tragically led to waste. He was holding a bottle of water and Naruto unconsciously licked his lips. Gaara noticed glanced at it knowingly.

"If you want it, fight me."

Naruto, who had been thinking of how much his throat was craving the crisp texture of cool water, felt his face contort in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Gaara didn't say anything, only rushed forward. Naruto's muscles reacted faster than his brain and he twisted to the side, narrowly avoiding Gaara's fist. He stumbled back against the couch while Kiba and Konohamaru scrambled to the side.

"What's wrong with you?!" Naruto avoided another punch, but not Gaara's knee impacting with his abdomen. With the wind sucked from his belly, Naruto sank to his knees and coughed, feeling a bit like he would throw up. Confusion aside, he started to feel agitated, and as he got to his feet, Gaara simply stared at him.

"Don't be such a wuss," Gaara said, and his lips barely moved. "Fight me seriously."

Naruto wiped his lips and huffed. He didn't fight people. He had before--bar brawls and things like that--but he didn't fight for the fun of it. "I'm not like you."

"No," Gaara agreed, looking frustrated. "You're weaker."

His words seemed to announce another lunge, one too fast for Naruto to evade. He grabbed Gaara's fist in his palm and they tumbled to the ground, rolling into the space that Kiba and Konohamaru had been moments previous. Cards scattered. In the distance, Naruto saw Konohamaru cringe. "Awe, and I was winning."

Gaara's eyes bore holes into Naruto's and Naruto struggled to keep Gaara's second hand from getting closer to his throat. His index finger was pointed forward, a position Naruto knew too well. He frowned. "You won't kill me."

"Wanna bet?" Gaara pushed forward and Naruto felt it. The change in the other man's aura was significant. It felt like Naruto was struggling against a fiery tangle of skin and clothing; something that really _did_ intend to harm him. Gaara seemed stronger, and Naruto choked out a cough when the other man's grip sank down, his arms unable to keep Gaara's hands a safe enough distance away.

Naruto coughed when Gaara's finger sank to meet his neck. His forearm was shaking; tremors from sore nerves making his muscles feel like jelly. He felt the mark snare and clenched his teeth, his body recognizing the peril even if his brain refused to believe it.

Naruto shoved Gaara forward, feeling the sudden strength. Gaara looked surprised but forced him back down, only this time his aura seemed to disappear. "Now. Do you feel it? You're doing it."

Naruto almost growled as he tried to fight his way back up from underneath the other man but Gaara was amazingly adept had keeping him pinned despite how much thinner he was than Naruto. When Naruto glared up at him, Gaara looked more perplexed than threatening. He was glaring. "You're doing it right now."

Naruto felt himself calm down, the boil in his blood beginning to settle. The thing he had thought was adrenaline was what Itachi and Gaara were referring to? He closed his eyes and remembered what Itachi had told him earlier.

_Focus on the mark._

He followed the feeling all the way to the scar on his shoulder and breathed deeply. He could feel it now.

"Are you afraid?" Gaara asked, though his voice wasn't condescending. Naruto shook his head and melted in the feeling--that nervous feeling that he had, until now, mistaken for anxiety. Or maybe it was anxiety that brought out his primal motivations?

"You must be, if it takes someone attacking you to bring it out," Gaara pointedly stated, his tone a bit mocking. Naruto's heart settled from it' staccato beats against his ribcage and he opened his eyes.

"Well, this is awfully sexy and all but--" Konohamaru's voice melted the awkward silence and Kiba's hand could be heard plastering itself over the younger boy's lips.

Naruto glanced over to them before looking back to Gaara, realizing that they were in a position that parodied intimacy.

"Get off me."

Gaara slid forward, pulling his hips off of Naruto's waist and unclenching his fingers from Naruto's wrists. He stepped to one side of Naruto and held out a hand to help Naruto up. Debating on taking the offer, Naruto sat up and took hold of the pale hand stretched down towards him.

"I'm not afraid," Naruto said, feeling the conviction behind his words. "I just don't think its okay to always think you have to kill someone, like it's a solution."

They stepped apart and Gaara frowned. "I don't know what world you're living in, but when it comes to the Aliqui and us, it's kill or be killed. None of them are going to think twice about sparing you, so don't give them any openings just because you're a nice guy."

Naruto understood what Gaara was saying, and it left a bitter taste on his tongue. He rubbed his abdomen which was still sore and let out a puff of air. "There has to be another way."

Quick reflexes saved him from being smacked in the face by the water bottle after Gaara tossed it towards him. As he lowered his hand, water bottle in tow to glare at the Aliqui, Gaara merely crossed his arms over his chest.

"You're teacher's waiting."

"Good luck!" Konohamaru grinned, and Naruto caught his enthusiasm.

He downed the water before heading back up to the roof.

* * *

"What, did you run into a door or something?" Itachi's face was irresistibly drawn to the tension surrounding Naruto as he rubbed his belly. He looked like he had been in a brawl and he was out of breath.

"Something like that," Naruto shook the comment off. "I think I can focus now, though."

Naruto sat down and crossed his legs and let his mind fade out, only allowing one thing in. Resolution. It wasn't fear that made him fight. It was the will he had to survive. If it had been fear, he wouldn't have been able to focus; Gaara helped him understand that much about himself, at least.

"I want to protect myself," Naruto said quietly. "And Sasuke, and everyone else."

The overpowering feeling from the mark came easily, and Naruto wondered why it had taken him so long to grasp something so simple. He poked open his eyes, still feeling the familiar energy coursing through his veins.

"It's almost like it...wants to follow my will," Naruto observed. If he wanted to fight, it would flare up. If he wanted to protect himself, it would come to life. Like an amplifier to his emotions.

Itachi nodded, looking genuinely impressed. "Correct. Now that you've recognized that energy, you need to learn how to focus it."

Naruto felt his eyebrows draw inward. "Wasn't I just--"

"You were focusing _on_ it, not manipulating the power itself."

Naruto had a hard time believing he had any sort of powers. In fact, it sounded ridiculous. He tried not to let his doubt show, but it was obvious from the expression on Itachi's face that he had little faith in his supposed otherworldly abilities. Naruto tried to ease some optimism into his tone.

"Okay. How do I manipulate it?"

Itachi had seemingly become bored with the newspaper, as it lay crumpled next to him. The Aliqui plucked a page from it, however, and held it towards Naruto, who took it cautiously.

"There are two things you need to learn. The first is that your mind and body are separate entities. The second is that your mind needs to be the stronger of the two." Itachi nodded as if to validate his own point. "You should be able to glance at that paper and be able to recite the entire thing."

Naruto practically face faulted. "That's impossible!"

"Why?" Itachi asked, though the question was rhetorical. "Because you can only read one word at a time? Because your eyes can only see one word at a time?"

Naruto's lips pursed shut and he didn't want to admit that Itachi had hit the nail on the head. His entire degree had been learning languages on word and phrase at a time. Piece by piece. Nothing he had ever done was knowledge accumulated in bulk--especially from a textbook.

Itachi didn't look irritated, but more like he had expected Naruto's reaction. "I am impressed with how quickly you figured out how to zone in on the mark Sasuke left you. This task is completely different. There's a chance you won't be able to do it at all. Your human brain is too old to learn to think differently than it has been trained."

Naruto let the words settle in and knew what Itachi was saying was true. His brain had become the way it was from habit. He had trained himself to learn word-for-word. Now he had to figure out a way to undo that in order to pass Itachi's next test. "It will help me become stronger?"

Itachi snorted. "'Mind over matter'. Another ridiculous human phrase that proves to be quite truthful." He stood up and dusted off his pants before turning towards the roof's exit door. "I don't expect you to learn this," he stated, "and there's no way for me to teach you how. Despite those facts, you _must_ learn it in order to do anything with your current abilities--or lack thereof."

A pale hand curled around the hand to the door and Itachi gave him a grim look paired with distant eyes. "And whether or not I _expect_ you to succeed doesn't matter. I _believe_ you can. So don't waste my faith, since I have very little to start with."

And with that as his parting comment, Itachi disappeared behind the thick steel door that divided the inside of his complex from the outside.

Naruto looked down at the paper in his hands and held it up, feeling his motivation fade. It really was impossible. He had heard of people who could read entire pages with one glance--people with photographic memories. He had even had a friend in college that could speed read; so well that his skill had saved him and Naruto many a time for quizzes they had forgotten to study for the night before.

But Naruto didn't claim to be anything more than himself. And he sadly was forced to admit that he wasn't marginally talented at anything. He had worked his butt off learning the few languages he knew and had been told that he had incredible charisma, but aside from that there was nothing special about his intelligence.

The sun beat down and Naruto wiped away some sweat that had already begun to bead while he grabbed the remaining stack of newspaper. There were 20 pages at most. Twenty tries. He took a deep breath and traveled to the other side of the rooftop, following strings of shadow to where their masses had moved over the course of the day. It was much cooler in the shade, and Naruto sat down, holding one paper in front of him.

_The department of Internal Revenue has announced--_

Naruto shook his head. "The goal is to look at the page and know what it means, not read it word-for-word," he told himself. He stared blankly at the paper and willed his eyes to do just that. The words blurred and he yawned.

A bird crowed from above him and Naruto frowned at the sudden company and returned his attention to the paper.

_...an increase in welfare based in the city..._

Shaking his head, he groaned. It was going to be a long afternoon.

* * *

Konohamaru glanced towards the couch as he watched the gray-haired man sleep. From the looks of things, he was still pretty sick. The sight made Konohamaru feel a bit sick to his stomach, knowing he had once enjoyed the rallies that Danzo hosted. And like Kiba had said, Naruto's beliefs were making him question his own.

"Should we wake him to eat?" he asked as Kiba set a bowl of a simple stir fry on the table before Konohamaru. As Kiba handed out the rest, Itachi shrugged.

"When he wakes up."

Konohamaru snorted. "What about Naruto? He's awake," a stated fact since Konohamaru knew he'd been on the roof for the last few hours.

Itachi took a courteous bite of a piece of a water chestnut and shrugged again. "He'll come when he's hungry."

Konohamaru's stomach growled wondering how Naruto couldn't be. They had been at the house all day and he couldn't remember Naruto eating even once. He picked up his fork and Kiba sat down at the remaining chair at the table, the awkward dinner just beginning.

"Why are we still here?" Konohamaru asked bluntly, wondering why they hadn't rushed back to Ten-ten since she was at Kiba's apartment all alone. It was strange. Gaara and Itachi didn't appear to like each other, but they weren't forcing each other away. Kiba and himself, on the other hand, could barely be called involved with the whole mess because they were simply human, but they hadn't chosen to leave either.

And even stranger than that, Itachi hadn't kicked them out. He didn't seem like the type of guy who enjoyed other people's company either.

Kiba was the first to answer. "I'm not leaving Naruto here alone." His answer was succinct and to the point, though Konohamaru suspected that Kiba liked being involved in whatever they had found themselves a part of.

"If the city is going to be invaded, it's best that we stick together," Gaara answered logically as he ate.

Itachi raised an eyebrow when all eyes from the table went to him. He swallowed a bite and waved a fickle hand. "You humans mask my Aliqui scent. They won't find me as easily, so please, stay as long as you'd like."

Konohamaru considered this answer before shoveling a forkful of food into his mouth. His stomach growled with approval and he glanced over to Itachi again. "So, how do humans fight Aliqui?" he asked with a mouth full of rice.

Gaara glanced up from his plate while Itachi looked amused.

"The same way we've always fought them," Gaara stated.

There was a pang of what Konohamaru refused to admit was fear that struck him when he recalled their normal methods. "It was a lot of us doing the distracting while you actually handled them. If there's going to be an invasion, we can't just constantly depend on you."

Gaara's eyes glittered and Konohamaru felt his skin crawl, feeling a bit like he had said something wrong. But it made sense, didn't it? He couldn't rely on Gaara to save him from everything. In the past he'd been cocky, thinking that his nightlife profession was some sort of braveness. Now, when thinking about facing beings more like Gaara and Itachi rather than castro, he was beginning to feel his own hesitations.

"I heard this long ago," Itachi stated dimly, looking retrospective. "There is a way for humans to unlock their own inner strengths. I guess you've seen it too. In your human Olympics and in sports." His tone didn't hold much of a commitment to the idea.

Konohamaru thought about the basketball players he admired and clutched his fork. "How do you do it?"

Itachi shrugged. "I'm not human, so I wouldn't know."

"How do you even know about all of this? Just how long have you been here?" Kiba suddenly asked.

Gaara interjected, "Kiba--"

"Long enough to know my place," Itachi quipped, clearly hinting that Kiba wasn't privileged enough to ask anything of him. He stood up and glanced down to Konohamaru.

"Naruto is hungry now," he said, and Konohamaru watched as the Aliqui disappeared into his bedroom, closing the door behind him. The table was silent for a moment before Konohamaru spoke.

"I want to be stronger too," he said, tightening his fingers to form a fist. "I don't want to always rely on other people."

Gaara nodded. "I know."

"No matter how you look at it, we're just human," he replied in resignation. "I'm tired."

Konohamaru watched Kiba leave the dining room and prepared to collect dishes since it seemed like he had been left to do them. Gaara placed a hand over his and shook his head. "I'll do it. Go take some food to Naruto."

Confused, the teenager frowned. "Don't you want to try helping him?"

Gaara stood up and frowned. "I'm not human, either. If Itachi didn't stay to help him, there's even less that I could do." There was resignation in his tone.

"Okay," Konohamaru sighed. "I guess it's my turn to be the hero."

* * *

"I come bearing--Naruto?"

The voice caught Naruto off guard and he poked his head around a corner wall, spotting Konohamaru by the door. "I'm here," he said, just loud enough so that the younger boy would find him.

The city was sinking in to darkness and yet the high-rise street lights provided enough light for Naruto to continue. He had barely made any progress, and with nine sheets of newspaper cast to the side he was beginning to feel less motivated than he had before.

"You'll feel better when you eat," Konohamaru said, handing Naruto the plate. Naruto nearly inhaled it, but he didn't feel any better about himself, just more energetic.

"Wow, you were hungry," Konohamaru took the empty plate and set it down beside him after he took a seat beside Naruto. He plucked a piece of newspaper from the ground and squinted in order to read the headline. "What are you trying to do? Learn how to read?"

Snatching the newspaper from Konohamaru's hands, Naruto glared. "I graduated from college, thank you very much. I can read just fine." He stared at the paper and bit his lip, his irritation waning. "I have to be able to...read it just by glancing at it."

"Isn't that impossible?"

"Apparently not," Naruto stated, flattening the paper on the ground under a spill of light from the streets. Konohamaru scratched his chin.

"What did you learn to do this morning?" he asked, looking hopeful that Naruto would admit to something exciting.

Naruto frowned, a little disappointed that he couldn't brag about learning something useful. "How to motivate myself to use the mark," he explained, sounding dejected.

There was a short period of silence before Konohamaru puckered his lips in thought. He seemed to be just as lost for words of advice as Naruto felt.

"The hard part is that even with that power, it's like...it only comes from my mark. It's like I'm trying to put it in two places at once. That's impossible." Naruto glanced up to the night sky, somehow hoping an answer would be written in the grayscale clouds about. He wondered if Sasuke had ever struggled with these types of things or if Aliqui were raised to understand it.

Konohamaru pulled his knees to his chest and rested his cheek on them. "Well, that doesn't make any sense. You pushed Gaara back this morning with your hands, not the mark. So...the power or whatever has to spread itself out, somehow...or maybe I don't know what I'm talking about..."

Naruto felt his eyes widen. When Gaara had pinned him, his thoughts had been to force him backwards. He hadn't been thinking about the mark, just his own survival. Was the answer as easy as focusing his energy into one place, namely his eyes?

"But...Itachi said something about separating the mind and body. How do I make myself read with my brain and not my eyes?"

Konohamaru jabbed a finger at the newspaper. "Try it."

Taking a deep breath, Naruto closed his eyes. He thought about his motivation and felt the familiar gathering of his power in his shoulder. He felt it spread through him and snapped open his eyes when he felt it flood his mind. He stared at the paper. A flash of white and he felt his temples pound.

"Uh..." Konohamaru was staring at him.

Naruto felt his lips pull downward. "Did it say something about a new veterinary clinic?"

Picking up the paper and squinting again, Konohamaru became excited. "Yeah! Tell me more," he requested as he read the article in order to validate Naruto's accuracy.

He didn't remember much, truthfully. "Um...something about cats...and I don't know anything else."

Konohamaru sighed. "There's something about _a_ cat. But...that's a start!" His words were overly encouraging. So much that Naruto cringed.

"Give me the paper back, I'm going to try again."

He flipped it to the other side and flattened the paper against the cement rooftop, and closed his eyes. He pulled more energy from the source and focused it behind his eyes. When the feeling was nearly overwhelming he stared down at the paper, and just like the first time, the result wasn't that amazing. He bit his lip.

Was there something he was doing wrong?

"What are you thinking?" Konohamaru asked casually.

Naruto sat back against the wall behind them and shook his head. "Just...if I'm doing something wrong. I felt it this time--more of that power, and I put it right behind my eyes..." Naruto was thinking out loud.

Konohamaru snorted. "Are you sure you graduated from college? The sensory nerves for your eyes go to the back of your head."

Raising a disbelieving brow, Naruto glared at Konohamaru. "What are you talking about?"

The teenager yawned and settled back against the wall as well, pulling his arms behind his head with a practiced laziness. He smirked knowingly. "I learned it in biology. In middle school, even."

"Are you sure?" Naruto squinted his eyes, searching for a lie. A few remaining flecks of rice took flight when Konohamaru snatched up Naruto's plate and jumped to his feet, his expression hinting that he felt a bit insulted and irritated.

"Of course I'm sure," he stomped towards the door. "But hey, don't believe me. After all, I'm just a kid."

And with that he disappeared into the building, leaving Naruto feeling miffed. He wasn't sure if he had offended Konohamaru or not, but his instincts told him that he would have to apologize later. First, he was going to test the younger boy's theory.

He ran his hands over the newsprint out of habit and took a deep breath. It was getting easier to get his blood going; to pull that sense of knowing and ability from the scar on his shoulder. He wondered if Aliqui had it constantly flooding their veins, unlike him, who had to consciously think about it before using it.

He shook the thought from his mind in favor of focusing. He mentally followed his veins to the base of his skull, and imagined it pooling there. His head felt light, like a balloon. His ears tickled and his eyelids fluttered open.

"Holy hell," Naruto almost jumped back when he realized it had worked marginally better than before. In seconds he had known that there were six articles on the page, and what each one was about. Not the details, but the big parts. The image was just...stuck inside his head.

He took a deep breath and pulled out another sheet of newsprint.

Only twelve more chances to get it right.

* * *

Morning coffee was one of the simple delights that Itachi cherished in the land of humanity. How he had lived the first portion of his life without espresso was a question he wasn't willing to contemplate. So, as he poured himself a cup, hardly aware enough to call this morning the start of a new day, and the kitchen door burst open behind him, it wasn't much of a surprise that his coffee cup flew from his hands and his heart (what he believed he had of one) sank.

"I did it..."

Itachi turned with intent to kill, but paused when he saw a winded and red-faced Naruto panting from the doorway, holing an armful of crumpled newspapers.

"Did what?" Itachi asked, vaguely bewildered. Since the chances of Naruto accomplishing the take that had been laid out for him were slim, the odds of him mastering such a technique in the course of one night was impossible.

"I can do it," Naruto said again, and Itachi watched his eyes fall half-lidded, hinting towards his exhaustion. "All twenty pages. I can do it--" and without missing a beat, Naruto collapsed into one sleeping heap onto the linoleum flooring.

Itachi stared for a moment before pouring himself another cup of coffee. He tip toed around the shards of his first attempt scattered on the floor beneath him to come before the man his brother had marked and felt his blood race.

Interesting.

Leave it to Sasuke to find a human that can inherit an Aliqui will, he thought inwardly, shaking his head at the cluster of newspaper in Naruto's still-clenched fist. And to memorize so much?

"Damn, what happened?" the kitchen door opened as much as it was allowed to and Konohamaru poked his head in while stepping over Naruto's body. "Does this mean he figured it out?"

Itachi took another sip of his coffee and relished the taste. "Yes."

Konohamaru nodded, looking cocky, knowing that it was his advice that had helped. The expression only lasted a moment before he glanced over to Itachi, and then down to Naruto. "You gonna stick him on the couch or something?"

Itachi rinsed his cup out in the sink and pulled a broom and dustpan from behind the refrigerator. "Mm, no."

Nodding with a confused look on his face, Konohamaru went back to the living room, and Itachi's ears caught something around the lines of, 'creepy alien bastard'.

Considering Naruto was the one drooling on the linoleum, Itachi felt offended.

* * *

He heard a gong beating loudly behind him. Or maybe it was the blaring _thrum thrum_ of a timpani, beating wildly next to his ears. On his ears. Inside Naruto's head.

His eyes flew open and he gripped his temples, recognizing the rhythm as his heartbeat, recklessly pumping a brutal headache into existence. It wasn't a normal headache. His _entire_ head felt like it was full of hot air, like there wasn't enough room for everything he had memorized so quickly.

Naruto remembered the night before, and sat up, wondering how he had gotten from the kitchen to the couch--if he had even made it to the kitchen. His recollection of the early morning's events were blurry.

"Are you alright?" Kakashi loomed over him, looking much healthier than he had the day before. He also looked concerned.

Naruto grimaced. "My head is killing me."

Two pills and a glass of water appeared before him like Kakashi had been prepared. Naruto eagerly swallowed the pills and downed the water before collapsing back against the pillows of the plush sofa, drowning out the light in the room by resting his forearm over his eyes.

"I'm not surprised," Kakashi followed up on Naruto's headache. "I can't imagine how you managed with human eyes."

Naruto deducted that someone had informed Kakashi of the challenges he had undertaken. He felt grateful to have Kakashi by his side rather than someone else. Kakashi had felt like a mentor to him for quite some time now, even if there was only a friendship between them.

"I didn't think I'd be able to," Naruto admitted and he licked his dry lips.

Kakashi took the empty glass from his hand and cleared his throat. "They say that humans can only use ten percent of their brains. You just used a lot more, so your brain is trying to adjust. Despite the fact Itachi had you learn a way of centralizing your power...Naruto, don't use it unless you have to. You could, for lack of a better term, fry your brain."

Naruto swallowed a lump that had unknowingly formed in his throat. It figured. He learned how to do something awesome and he wasn't even able to use it.

"Is he awake?" Itachi's voice invaded the space, and Naruto tilted his head up to view the Aliqui man. "And only a little over a day of recovery. I'm impressed."

Kakashi's expression soured and Naruto frowned. "How long?"

Itachi rubbed his slender nose. "A day and a half."

Naruto nearly leapt forward, scrambling against the blanket he was enveloped in. "I don't have time to be sleeping--"

Kakashi pressed a hand to his chest and forced him back down. "Ibuprofen isn't going to fix the stress your brain feels. You _need_ to sleep."

Naruto cursed and murmured, "I'll sleep when I'm dead."

"You'll be dead before the ships arrive if you don't listen to me," Kakashi's tone was almost demanding. For the first time since Naruto had been reunited with the older man, Kakashi seemed to be back to his old self.

Naruto grimaced when a book fell onto his stomach, courtesy of Itachi. Kakashi picked it up and his easy-going expression deteriorated.

"Are you trying to put him into a coma?" he asked skeptically.

Itachi shrugged. "It's be better for him to overload now and sleep it off before the council comes looking for him."

Kakashi didn't look convinced, but Naruto saw that he was considering Itachi's point.

Reaching forward, Naruto took hold of the book and stared at its cover. It was like nothing he had ever seen. It was gold and silver rimmed with a leather facing, and all sorts of curling designs decorated it. There was a strange writing on it that reminded Naruto of the English alphabet, but it was slightly different.

"Is this an Aliqui book?" he guessed, and Kakashi nodded.

Itachi pointed a finger towards it. "Not just any Aliqui book. A vocabulary book. If you use the technique you learned, you'll know the language in no time."

A rush of excitement tingled through Naruto's nerves at the prospect. Before he could flip the book open, Kakashi placed his hand over Naruto's. "You were out for nearly two days from a few newspaper articles. This is an entire book, Naruto."

Kakashi had a point, and Naruto's spirit fell. He wasn't sure if he wanted to risk being unconscious when the invasion finally happened, but in the same light, he _needed_ to be able to communicate with the other race.

He glanced up to Itachi. "How much longer until they get here?"

A shrug was his response. "A couple of days, if that. Why don't you ask Sasuke?" There was a hint of humor in his voice and Naruto wondered if that was possible, since he had seen a portion of Sasuke's thoughts by simply focusing on the shared power between them.

"Is that possible?"

"No," Kakashi answered, glaring at Itachi. "He's making fun of you."

Naruto wondered about it, but didn't persist. He glanced back down to the book and took a deep breath. "I want to learn. I've learned other languages before. Maybe it won't be that bad."

Kakashi pursed his lips and his eyes seemed to plead with Naruto to choose another avenue. Itachi sniffed and rubbed his nose again. "It won't be that easy."

Kakashi let go of Naruto's hand, seeing that he had made up his mind. "Alright. We'll protect you if you're not awake by the time they come."

Naruto sat up and clutched the book between his hands. "Not just me. You'll protect everybody else, right?"

There was a pause before Kakashi nodded. Naruto didn't see Itachi's response.

"Where is everyone?" Naruto asked, realizing for the first time that they weren't bombarding the living room like usual.

"We made them bathe and go buy food," Itachi explained and his nose cinched again. "You humans smell unbearably horrid."

Naruto realized that he hadn't taken a shower for quite a few days and guilt and embarrassment racked his brain. Kakashi, like a mind reader, understood his train of thoughts.

"Go take a shower. I'm going to make you lunch. You can't start on that book on an empty stomach."

Naruto agreed and started towards the bathroom, suddenly realizing that his headache no longer existed. There was a stack of clothes on the bathroom floor, probably gathered for all of the boys to choose from since no one had exactly packed for this little vacation. Naruto dug out a black t-shirt and some baggy denim shorts, and closed the door in order to have some privacy.

The hot water felt so good against his skin that Naruto felt like he was scrubbing stale sweat from his skin. The last week had been anything but easygoing and even his hair felt like hay as he wetted it down. He scrubbed his body clean and when he was finished, dried off. The shirt and shorts he had chosen were a bit big on him, but not enough for him to complain. He threw his other clothes into a hamper that seemed jam packed of everyone else's apparel and was suddenly reminded of his dorm life in college.

They really had a lot of testosterone in one apartment.

When he came out, Kakashi had two sandwiches ready, along with an apple and two bottles of water. His eyes said, 'you will eat every bite and enjoy it'. Naruto shivered at the subliminal message and took the plate gratefully. His stomach growled and he chowed down the food, realizing this was the second time Kakashi had made him food.

He silently admitted that he liked the sandwiches much better than the spaghetti served in the abandoned metropolis.

As he was finishing his apple, and really struggling seeing as to how he didn't like them very much, the front door opened and the rest of the household arrived bearing bags of food. Kiba lit up when he saw Naruto awake, and Konohamaru looked content as well. Even Gaara looked like he was happy about it, which gave Naruto a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"You better have got _real_ food," Kakashi slyly said, and Kiba laughed nervously before escaping to the kitchen with his load. Konohamaru followed in suit, and Gaara, who was carrying a pack of water bottles, met eyes with Kakashi, not looking intimidated at all.

Cabinet doors clunked and the refrigerator opened countless times as the groceries got put away and finally Kiba emerged, looking anxious to talk to Naruto. "You doing okay?" he asked.

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. Great."

Kiba looked relieved. "You're not about to do anything crazy like that again, are you?"

"Well, about that..." Naruto had the book sitting beside him. Kiba glared.

"It's like having homework!" Naruto tried explaining. "And the test I'm preparing for is the invasion..."

Kiba still looked put off, but Naruto was grateful that he had a friend that was worried for him. Everything was happening so fast that it was good there was one person who was still grounded.

"So. I see you learned how to do it correctly." Konohamaru's comment was to the point. He had a backwards cap on and was swimming in a shirt three times too big for his frame. He seemed to like the style, so Naruto didn't comment on it.

Instead, he smiled. "Yeah. I wouldn't have been able to do it without your advice though."

Konohamaru narrowed his eyes, but couldn't hold the expression, so he smiled. "I told you."

"Sorry I doubted your supreme intelligence," Naruto replied sarcastically, and Konohamaru put his hands on his hips.

"Remember it! I am _much_ smarter than your average sixteen year old."

Naruto wanted to say something mocking in return, but Konohamaru was right. He _was_ really smart for his age.

Standing up, Naruto picked up the book. "Okay, I'm going to go learn this. I may be out for a while afterwards...so you guys, if anything happens before I wake up..." Naruto looked up and met eyes with each of them in a passing glance. "Please be careful."

Konohamaru attempted to show off his muscles with a pose. "I've got your back _and_ mine."

Naruto was surprised when Kiba hugged him. "Just wake up soon, you got it?"

Naruto nodded. "Right."

"You should be more worried about yourself. We'll be fine," Gaara said, and as usual, his tone was icy. But Naruto saw something behind the many walls Gaara had that made him feel relived. Gaara was telling him that they'd protect each other and him, and that everything would be fine, even if the half-Aliqui couldn't bring himself to say everything at once.

"Thank you," Naruto said to him, and Gaara, seemingly discovering that he had been read, turned his attention away. "Go already."

Naruto smiled. "Right."

"Just remember," Itachi said, as Naruto turned towards the living room. "When you wake up, it will be show time."

**a/n:** Not quite as long as I expected it to be, but still a whopping eighteen pages. Did you know that chapters for real novels are only on average about 5-8 Word pages long? LOL, fanfictions spoil. :D

I got really into two things this past week. The first was this awesome manga (or is it a manwha? I think it might be a manwha) called The Breaker. OMG, best thing ever. I'm addicted. If you need something awesome to read, start with this gem. It's about this poor kid who is picked on at school and has no self esteem until he sees his teacher bust out some awesome martial arts. Then his goal is to get his teacher to teach him how to fight, but his teacher is actually a world class martial artist in hiding…and it's just amazing. Trust me. Sounds like a boys' series but it's got so much shonen-ai it's insane.

The second thing…is the second season of Oofuri, which is finally out. I am caught up with any and every spoiler and I think Oofuri is my new favorite series. Oh, how I love it so.

Okay, as for SL, the next chapter will be an interlude, so yayyyy.

And then Chapter 12. The Invasion begins.

:D


	12. Interlude II

**Slumberland**

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**Author:** Ladelle

**Comments:** Yay for the interlude. Super short and sweet and to the point. Thank you for all of the reviews so far, and just to be safe, make sure you've read chapter ten because I posted this one pretty quickly after it. :D

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**Interlude **

It wasn't logical.

What he was doing wasn't normal for him. Disobeying, hiding, sneaking, and hiding. He felt like he wasn't thinking straight, and also like he was seeing clearer than he had ever seen before.

The invasion was real. Sasuke had known that it would be because he understood the Council. He understood their motivations and reasoning and he also recognized the Hyuuga family and their motives as well. They wanted Earth; they always had. They had just never been willing to let the Uchiha clan claim it first.

Sasuke shifted positions, feeling the heat of a pressurizer from behind him. The engine room wasn't the most comfortable place to hide, but it was certainly the most practical. Out of the way, rarely serviced...no one would even suspect that he had come on board the main ship. There was a part of him that couldn't believe what he was doing.

The logical part of himself said that going to Earth was a necessity. To protect what was his. To make sure nothing would happen to him because of Naruto.

Naruto.

The name was ingrained in his mind and glued to his tongue. It didn't leave his lips easily; it was like a confession for something he didn't want to be connected to. But he was, and irrevocably so. So much that there were times when he felt like he could feel Naruto reaching to him--reaching _into_ him--seeping into his mind when he wasn't asleep. Sasuke had pushed him out.

He was too strong to be effected by a single human and Naruto needed to be guarded from the Aliqui. Sasuke was sure the Council would target him sooner rather than later, considering his potential. After all, the Uchiha who had found their counterparts long ago had put up quite a fight.

Enough of one for the Council to want them dead, at least.

There were voices coming from the overhead deck, boots huffing against the metal landings. Sasuke shrunk into darkness, hidden like a shadow in the blackness that surrounded him. Crew members passed by, not sensing a thing. He was good at hiding, and he would teach Naruto to be the same. They wouldn't be reckless and pick a fight they couldn't win. One Aliqui and one human against an entire fleet wasn't good enough.

Sakura had hinted that he still had a People. Sasuke couldn't depend on that, however; one disorganized rebellion wasn't worth the loss of life. There were too few Aliqui as it was and he didn't want to risk more lives when the only ones he felt responsible for were his and Naruto's.

It wasn't that he didn't know--if someone were to rise against the Council, it would have to be him. Even the old prophet had said that the Aliqui would be led by the Uchiha mark. And aside from Itachi, he was the only one left. But the timing wasn't right. And Naruto was a problem. A big problem.

Earth was getting closer and he didn't know where to start in order to find his human. He figured he could go to familiar territory. If there was someone he always managed to find, it was his brother. And there had never been a person his brother couldn't find.


	13. Chapter 11

**Slumberland**

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**Author:** Ladelle

**Comments: **Thank you for all of your reviews! I'm really excited because Slumberland is drawing towards a close. Well, that makes me sad too. But I've been wanting to write more of MLC lately so it's like a trade off, two or three more chapters though, depending on how they fit together when I actually write them. Oh, and I totally plan to do an Epilogue and individual one-shots for each character so we see their pasts a bit better. Those will be intermittent.

**News:** Thank you _Master of Rebels_ for beta'ing! I can't help but think that you...kind of own my soul now.

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**Chapter 11:**

Naruto woke up and the living room was empty. He felt like he had been hit by a semi truck; one that had chains lassoed around the wheels and spikes extruding from the hubcaps. His head stung, his stomach was growling, and the voice inside of his head that normally spoke English was barking at him in another language.

It told him to get up, it told him to eat, and as he blinked his eyes, it told him to remember why he was out cold in the first place. Glancing down to his waist, Naruto saw the book. He recalled how he had only gotten halfway through it and wondered how long he had been asleep, hazarding a few guesses on where everyone could be if they weren't in the living room with him.

Peeling himself from the couch cushions, Naruto rubbed a hand through his hair, dispelling a knot that had formed. The book fell to the floor and he didn't react fast enough to catch it before the carpet cushioned its landing. The door to the dining room slid open and Konohamaru's head popped out, eyes curiously scanning the space.

"He's alive!"

Much like a clown car from circus performances Naruto had seen as a child, bodies piled out from the kitchen, all familiar and all utterly intrigued by the fact he was awake. Kakashi shoved through the younger people and Itachi followed in his wake.

"How are you feeling?" Kakashi asked, and Itachi rolled his eyes and parted his lips, the beautiful and curvy words of the Aliqui language asking him the very same question.

Naruto may have only made it through half of the book, but it was amazing how well he understood. And how prepared he felt to reply.

"Hungry," he stated in his newest tongue. "And my head hurts."

Kakashi's eyes were wide. "That's amazing."

From behind him, Itachi narrowed his eyes. "Your accent is off."

"You're being picky," Kakashi disputed, and he waved Itachi to silence before gazing intently at Naruto once more. "Say something else."

Naruto smirked and obeyed, speaking in the newfound language once more. "Something else."

Kakashi looked irritated and Itachi appeared vaguely amused, and from behind them both, Gaara's expression was gelid.

"Say something longer so we can tell how much you _don't_ know," Gaara demanded, his own Aliqui accent seamless. And so Naruto did. He began blabbering on about a dream he had about black and white shapes weaving together to form Sasuke's face and about how he really wanted to take a shower, and ended with asking where Kiba had run off to since he still hadn't seen him.

Kakashi and Itachi exchanged indifferent glances and Gaara snorted. "He sounds ridiculously formal."

"What?" Naruto asked, replaying what he had said in is mind. It was all said the way he knew it to be. Kakashi bit his lip.

"He learned from a book…he doesn't know how to speak casually, I think."

At once Naruto understood what Kakashi meant, because the words the older man chose to speak with were different. To prove the point, and also as if reading Naruto's mind, Kakashi asked him to repeat what he had just said.

He did and heard the difference, but didn't know how to fix it.

"I'm confused," Konohamaru scratched his head, and Naruto retreated to his native tongue.

"Okay, if I'm not saying what you're saying, what _am_ I saying?" he questioned. Itachi held a dramatic hand in the air, looking much like he was imitating a Shakespearean play.

"'_I am not accustomed to speaking in such a roguish_ _tongue_' pretty much covers it," was his reply. His hands returned to his sides once his thespian interpretation was complete.

Naruto flinched. "Okay, how do I _not_ sound like King Arthur?"

"I don't think there's any avoiding it," Gaara cemented. "After all, it's the way you learned it. There's not enough time to walk you through informalities."

That sounded logical enough. Devastatingly so, in fact. Naruto slumped and Konohamaru chuckled.

"So wait, let me get this straight. Naruto, when speaking like an Aliqui, talks like—" he held up bunny ears to support his own interpretation, "—_where beith my horse and diet soda? Oh-ho-ho, what do you haveth in your pocketeth? Damneth and blast—"_

"I'm pretty sure half of the words you said just now are made up," Naruto glared.

"But other than that, you're on the dot," Gaara awarded, crossing his arms over his chest while looking smug. Or as smug as he could with the fact he had no eyebrows. Naruto squinted. Why hadn't he noticed that before?

Konohamaru laughed again. "Now I _really_ wish I could understand."

Naruto sulked. His first accomplishment in using his abilities was about to make him turn taciturn. After a moment of drowning in his own delusions of Aliqui megalomania, he once again glanced around the room, noting an absence for the second time since he had woken. "Where is Kiba?"

"He went back to the apartment to check on Ten-ten," Konohamaru explained. "Also to grab some stuff. He should be back soon. It's almost night and tonight's supposed to be _the_ night."

The chill that followed Konohamaru's emphasis affected the entire room and a silence hung like baubles from a fiberoptic Christmas tree. Naruto felt a bit like it was too late to be intimidated, or nervous for whatever lay ahead. He was grateful to have woken up in time, and decidedly unsure of what he was supposed to do next.

The front door opened and Kiba slipped in. He smiled, but there wasn't any security in it, and before Naruto could decipher what was troubling his friend, Konohamaru was asking him about what he had retrieved. The answer seemed to be daggers, by the looks of everything Kiba unloaded from his backpack.

After hearing Itachi mutter something along the lines of _useless human artifacts_, Naruto tugged on Kakashi's sleeve. "What am I supposed to do now?"

The older man was now standing straight, looking like a statuesque figure with unruly hair and distant eyes. "Wait. And hide. While I'm sure you're anxious to speak with the elders, or whatever else your mind has concocted, timing is everything. Don't forget the pain you'd cause Sasuke if you died simply because you were impatient."

Naruto hadn't actually planned far enough ahead to consider another encounter with the elders. His first and foremost thoughts had been to protect his friends and somehow find Sasuke amidst the chaos he knew was coming. Everything after that would be a result of him just winging it.

"I'm going to get some rest," Itachi declared as he drifted from the living area. There was an edge to his tone that alerted Naruto. Everyone seemed to be on eggshells now, knowing what was coming.

Naruto frowned. "Why tonight?"

Kakashi looked down to the empty bowl in his hands and took a deep breath. "It's the New Moon. With the stars aligned, the Earth won't have any light…and will be easy to overtake."

"You didn't think to tell me about this earlier?" Naruto glared, feeling a bit like he had been denied an extremely important fact.

Kakashi frowned and looked significantly older as his lips curled downward. "There was no way to know for sure. We know now because we feel it. You must, too."

And Naruto did. A heavy weight in his belly; a sixth sense for things soon to come.

Kakashi disappeared into the kitchen and Konohamaru dashed after him, clutching some blades that needed cleaning. There was something about the excitement of a teenager to fight hand-to-hand with aliens that made Naruto's gut twist. He felt like he was in a B-rated version of Night of the Living Dead, where the Living Dead were aliens and he was the guy unfortunate enough to think he could stop them.

Gaara was the first to break the awkward silence. "What's on your mind?"

"Nothing," Kiba replied, but it was obvious he was lying. Kiba had never been any good at it.

Naruto crossed his arms over his chest. "Secrets don't make friends," he said a bit childishly, and Gaara added realism.

"In times like these, secrets kill them."

The indecision haunting Kiba was like a cold embossment, impossible not to feel. He was a good friend and honest person however, so his silence didn't last for long.

"Ten-ten went to Danzo. He knows it's going to happen tonight as well, and he's summoned the entire congregation to fight."

"Predictable," Gaara answered, though there was something hesitant in his tone. Naruto understood somewhat, because Gaara and Kiba had a certain loyalty to Danzo, despite his radical views.

Naruto couldn't help but feel nervous knowing that there were humans willing to fight a massive hoard of Aliqui. And not just Castro—Aliqui trained to fight, like Neji. He remembered fighting the Hyuuga in the library, and how he barely escaped with his life. And that was only because he had been marked.

"Tonight would be the perfect night to rise to the offensive," Gaara said exactly what Naruto couldn't, and Kiba seemed to agree.

"It was pointless to tell you, seeing as to how there's nothing you can do, but…"

Naruto turned towards the front door and stared at the handle for what seemed like a long time. He had no doubt it was some sort of trap. Even if there was a way, Naruto wouldn't be deluded into thinking that it was something practical or simple.

People were going to die tonight, however. Because humans were no match for Aliqui. They were a different part altogether. Naruto felt like a puzzle piece being fit into a perfect space.

"I'm going to go," he answered Kiba's long ago trailed deduction. Gaara stared in disbelief and looked slightly intimidated by the look of confidence Naruto gave him.

"If I can stop him, maybe I can stop the people he's gathered. No one should have to die tonight. It's not like the first time—the Aliqui's purpose isn't to kill. Just to take over."

Kiba appeared dumbfounded. "How is that any different?"

"Why do you think Danzo would listen to you?" Gaara interjected. "Didn't you hear what Kakashi said? You need to stay here and wait it out. Not go looking for trouble," his tone was resolute and there was a peridot gleam in his eyes, one that was meant to warn.

Naruto paused, remembering the weight of Kakashi's opinion. "I don't want Sasuke to turn into a Castro, so I won't do anything stupid. But what if I'm the only one that can stop Danzo? What if this is what I'm supposed to do?"

There was no sympathy towards Naruto when Gaara spoke. "Maybe all that you're _supposed_ to do is stay alive."

Kiba nodded, looking like he agreed with Gaara.

"But Danzo wants me. He knows who I am. What I am. That has to mean something," Naruto spoke quietly, as if trying to organize his thoughts on his own.

He needed to stay safe; he knew that. Tonight would be raucous and nothing was guaranteed. But what if he _could_ stop Danzo? What if he could call back the fighters and protect their lives?

What if he didn't stop them and one of the followers killed Sasuke?

Naruto took a step towards the door.

"Naruto, you're acting on a whim—" Kiba began, but Gaara placed a hand on his arm, halting him from moving forward.

"You don't care about what we're telling you, as long as your decision leads you to Sasuke?" he questioned, sounding a bit bitter.

Naruto didn't turn to see the expression on his friends' faces because he didn't want to see the anger or disappointment. He didn't expect to see Sasuke, but this _was_ a way to protect him. "It's not just about Sasuke—"

"I don't know if you remember this or not, Naruto, but he _left_ you here. Walking into a trap doesn't change that no matter how noble you think you're being!" Kiba had never sounded so angry.

Naruto whipped around, his teeth grinding. "Don't talk to me like you understand! He's always _there_!" He clutched a hand to his chest, scrunching his t-shirt in his fist. "He never goes away. When I dream, it's of him, when I'm awake, I'm thinking about him. But I'm a part of this. I'm human. I have responsibilities now. So of course this is something I have to do!"

"What if you get killed?" Gaara asked, his voice remarkably calm.

"I won't," Naruto answered, dropping his arms to his side. "And if Danzo won't listen, I'll come straight back."

Kiba snorted and took a step forward. "Do you think I'm going to let you go face Danzo alone? You don't even know what he's capable of."

Naruto felt his eyes widen before he shook his head. "No. You're not coming. If I'm going to do something stupid, I'm not dragging my closest friend down with me."

There was something pleasant that passed through Kiba's eyes at the mention of their camaraderie, and luckily, it quelled some of the agitation growing in the room.

"I agree with Naruto," Gaara said, and it took the other two by surprise. "I'll go. Naruto still can't fight, and you're not strong enough to fight in case the situation turns bad. Besides, Konohamaru is depending on you here."

A loud splash sounded from the kitchen and Kakashi yelled something about no knife throwing allowed inside of the house. Kiba deflated, but his expression showed that he understood.

Naruto felt nervous, but intent.

"If were going to leave, we better do it before Itachi or Kakashi catches us," Gaara stated, and Naruto quickly enveloped Kiba in a hug.

"I'll be back," he promised before jetting towards the front door and carefully peeling it open. Gaara gave Kiba an honest glance before following Naruto, and as the door slid shut, Kiba couldn't ignore the tight feeling in his chest.

"You mean you'll both be back, right?"

In answer to his question, a siren caterwauled outside and Kakashi nearly erupted from the kitchen, his expression focused and deliberate. He glanced around the room until he made eye contact with Kiba with an expression so readable Kiba could hear the words that never left the older man's mouth.

_Where is Naruto?_

"He'll be back," Kiba replied, and he clenched his fists to his sides. "He promised."

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As Kakashi had led them to believe, the sky was a massive chunk of pitch black. The street lights worked well to guide Naruto and Gaara's way, but with the sirens already screaming into the night, Naruto wondered how much longer they'd last. He remembered the first time he had experienced a pitch black city, and had no doubts the city would lose power again.

"The sirens are different," Gaara said quietly, and a few people bustled past them and rushed up to their respective apartments. Naruto listened as he jutted his arm into the street, hoping a taxi would see him. He was grateful to see some still out and about despite the sirens.

"It sounds like a tornado siren," Naruto guessed. On very slim occasions, the city he lived in was hit with out-of-character weather. He had never experienced a tornado but he remembered the familiar crescendo of alarm from middle school when they had practiced emergency procedures. "Maybe the government wants everyone to stay inside to avoid mass panic?"

It seemed as good a reason as any. If families stayed in their homes while the situation played out, there were fewer casualties to worry about. Naruto had to wonder how the government had figured out what was going on though. It seemed like they were always ten steps ahead.

After three taxis passed him by, Naruto stepped out further and waved to flag off the fourth. It worked and he snapped his arm back to his chest when he felt something plop onto it. It was cold and wet.

"What are you doing?" Gaara asked as he opened the back door, watching Naruto as he gazed up to the sky. He felt another droplet on his skin. And another.

"It's raining," Naruto couldn't believe it; rain was so incredibly rare. Despite the fact it was night, the air was still warm and the rain was limpid in contrast. Naruto stared up to the sky, blinking after a few drops sputtered onto his face.

Gaara grabbed his hand. "It's the moon," he explained, his voice sounding rushed. A military van sped by, the all too familiar white vehicle looking like a ghost in the unsettling darkness. "We have to go."

Naruto licked a crystalline bead of water from his lips and followed Gaara into the cab. He was beginning to feel nervous.

The cab driver was cautious as he sped down vacant neighborhood streets, the wishy-washy sound of water sloshing off of the windshield creating an eerie soundtrack to their short trip. Gaara had directed them towards the same miniature convention center as before and Naruto trusted that he knew where to go. And as the cab came closer to the building, it was obvious they were in the right place.

A crowd of people ebbed at the entrance of the building, pooling around the sides as if there were already too many bodies inside. The cab edged down the road, carefully squeezing past the throng that had gathered before finally stopping. The crowd was a blur of color that weaved like a web from beyond the rain-soaked windows of the car, and Naruto's gut twisted.

"This should cover the ride," Gaara tossed a bill to the driver and opened his door and Naruto followed in suite.

It was loud outside of the cab. Voices yelling over other voices, all competing to be the loudest. There was cheering, there was chanting and there were barely audible whispers. There was also casual conversation, and the whole scene sent fear down Naruto's spine.

He stood for a long while, letting the rain soak him as the remaining heat from the roads below creating an uncomfortable humidity for the night. He took a few long breaths until Gaara's voice snapped him out of his stupor.

"You want to save them, right?"

Naruto felt warmth in the other man's words. He nodded lightly because he did, and because he believed that he could. Stepping forward took a great deal of confidence, but Naruto mustered the energy. If this was his place-if this was where his puzzle piece fit-then he wanted to do everything he could.

Gaara followed him through the crowd as they weaved their way inside. Members of Danzo's congregation pushed against them as they forced their way into the building, and some complained. It was practically a riot and Naruto noticed weapons. Mostly blades and daggers like he had seen Kiba give to Konohamaru, and he was hoping that was all. Considering the city had a tight ban on automatic weapons, he found himself hoping there were no guns.

The flood of people felt like endless tidal waves as Naruto pushed through. The further inside he traveled, he more heard Danzo's voice. It was echoing over a sound system, and Naruto only heard clipped bits of what he was saying. Something about the moon, about pride, and about protecting the ones you love.

_Funny,_ Naruto thought, considering they were after the same thing.

Warm fingers gripped his wrist and Naruto glanced backwards towards Gaara. "This way," the other man said, pulling him sideways through the crowd. It was the tiniest bit less crowded on the sidelines of the room, and from this new angle, Naruto could see Danzo's podium well. He looked enveloped in his words as he spoke them passionately, and the onlookers brimmed with hope...and also with anger.

Gaara tugged Naruto forward and he hadn't realized that he had paused, somewhat mesmerized by the authority Danzo displayed. He was completely believable, and as Naruto listened further to his speech, also completely mad.

"...need to do everything possible to stop them. Kill them without a second thought. The future of mankind is depending on us - the select few- who know the truth..."

Naruto snorted. It had been the government that had erased that truth. Like everything, this war was nothing but a game of politics.

"Here," Gaara said in a hushed tone, and Naruto realized suddenly that they were against the side of the stand that made up the stage Danzo was seated on. The half-Aliqui man pulled up a small patriotic curtain that hid the ugliness of the rafters below and motioned that Naruto move underneath, and his eyes urged the action to happen quickly.

"Where are we going-"

"Just go!" Gaara hissed, glancing around to make sure they weren't seen. Naruto obeyed, Gaara slipping under behind him, and soon Naruto was crawling behind the other man as they found their way to the back of the stage, and the completely empty convention center hall behind it.

Naruto coughed at the dust that had collected on his body as he emerged on the other side and eagerly rubbed it off of his clothes. He ran a hand through his hair and sneezed when a puff of filth rose from the action and wiped his runny nose with the back of his hand.

"Why are we here?"

Gaara turned to stare at the rear of the stage in front of them and Naruto heard the muffled voice of Danzo continuing his speech. "Because when he's done, he'll come this way. It would be too dangerous going through the front with how many people have gathered."

Naruto nodded, seeing as to how it made sense. His spirit gravitated towards the lush flow of words Danzo had going, but their meaning was too cold. He turned around in an effort to think of something else, at least while they waited.

"So, what's your story, anyway?"

Gaara gave him a blank look, as if not entirely understanding what Naruto was asking him. Naruto, in an effort to phrase his question with more tact, tried again.

"I mean, you're half Aliqui...how did that happen?"

For a moment, Naruto thought that Gaara didn't plan to answer. Naruto even considered his curiosity too probing and felt guilty. But before he could explain to Gaara that it was okay if he didn't want to talk about it, the redhead was already speaking.

"My mother was human. Her soulmate was an Uchiha, and when the other Aliqui came to kill him, they took advantage of her. I'm nothing to be proud of," Gaara's voice was low and Naruto could see the painful acceptance in his expression. It wasn't what Naruto had expected to hear, and any of the remaining animosity he held for Gaara seemed to seep away, disappearing between the cracks of understanding.

Naruto frowned. "I'm sorry..."

"She died giving birth to me. I'm pretty sure she hated me. Hated my existence. It's not just the Hyuuga that are to blame, it's all of them. All of the Aliqui. Whatever they touch is ruined." Gaara's face had hardened and he was staring a nothing in particular as he spoke. Naruto saw his fists clench and felt at a loss for what to say. He understood, but at the same time he didn't.

"There is good and bad in everything. In everyone," Naruto said slowly and he saw Gaara glare at him in rebellion. "I think that deep down you know that, and that's why you came with me tonight."

Gaara swallowed visibly and Naruto could see his inner battle raging from the way his eyes couldn't seem to focus into a more serious expression. "I believe that death is painful. Not for the person dying, but the ones left behind. The families of these people don't deserve that, and I didn't either. I didn't deserve to be alone. But I was and I managed and now I see the value in life. The Aliqui don't value our lives. You're lying to yourself if you think differently."

Naruto realized suddenly that this situation was a lot bigger than he and Sasuke. He had known it before, but hearing Gaara talk about his views made it feel like more of a fact. When there was so much misinformation and so many miscommunications between two different groups of people, sides were bound to be taken. It wasn't fair for either side, Naruto decided, and he didn't want Sasuke _or_ Gaara to be in pain. In the end, their pain was very similar, after all.

"I'm not saying that the world is rainbows and butterflies," Naruto said honestly. "Just that...sometimes we forget to look at the _big _picture. The one that's more than just us."

Gaara looked irritated. "Big words coming from you. All that you care about is that Uchiha."

Naruto realized that Gaara was right, but he didn't want him to be. He was finally able to step outside of his own shoes for a moment to see the bigger picture he himself had mentioned, and it was a lot larger than he had originally imagined. "I did," he said, "because he _is_ me. But I am me too, and there are things that _I_ need to do. Facing Danzo is one of them. Stopping him is one of them. I'm special and so are you because we know what's going on. It's our responsibility to do something about it now, whether we want to or not."

Gaara stared at him for a long moment and Naruto wondered if he was angry. When his lips parted to speak, however, his voice sounded almost relieved. "I'm glad it was you."

Raising an eyebrow, Naruto cocked his head to the side. "What?"

"I'm glad that you're that Uchiha's other half, and not some other idiot. You have this thing...there isn't any way to describe it. But when you speak, I want to believe you. More than I want to trust Danzo."

Naruto thought that to be a significant accomplishment, though he wasn't sure how he had achieved it. He surprised Gaara by enveloping him in a hug. "I promise that I mean every word I say."

Gaara broke the hug awkwardly and looked embarrassed. "Don't touch me."

Naruto laughed because he saw the understanding in Gaara's eyes, even if he couldn't bring himself to say it.

A large cheer erupted from the other side and the two mens' attention snapped upwards, wondering silently if the speech had ended. There was the loud groaning of feet on linoleum and a muffled roar of casual conversation. When the curtain on the back of the stage opened, Danzo stepped out, along with a couple of body guards. They drew guns at Naruto and Gaara, and Naruto's stomach flipped. He had forgotten that Danzo was connected with the military and probably had high tech weapons.

"Relax, my friends," the older man said, holding up his hands peacefully. "These two are welcomed company."

The two body guards exchanged glances but holstered their pistols. Danzo stepped between them and climbed down from the stage, looking more than pleased. He extended his hand to Naruto, almost ignoring Gaara completely.

"I knew we would meet again."

Naruto was grateful that he was no longer anxious. He looked into Danzo's eyes with enough focus that he saw the older man twitch slightly in surprise.

"I don't think I'm here for the reasons you want me to be," he admitted.

Danzo held up a hand and motioned towards a conference room to the side. "This is not the place to talk about business, Naruto. Let us go someplace quieter." He started forward and Naruto saw the threat. A small room, three against two. He looked to Gaara, and Gaara was prepared to follow him.

_I came this far_, Naruto thought before he started after the military leader.

The conference room was bigger than he had expected it to be and had an enormous glass window that overlooked the streets outside. Rain still hammered against the window, creating a mushy view of everything happening outside. There weren't a lot of colors, so Naruto hoped the troops hadn't moved out.

"There are some people in this world that are gifted, Naruto," Danzo spoke, and his voice had lost its friendly demeanor. There was a table supplied with an array of alcoholic beverages and the older man was pouring himself a glass of wine as he spoke. "There are those who are born gifted and then those who stumble into it. I am lucky. I was born into it. Therefore I can see the confusion that plagues you because of your, let's be honest, lack of education."

Naruto felt the backhanded compliment and something told him that he had been meant to. After taking a sip of his wine, Danzo continued.

"The strongest Uchiha to ever live and breathe was named Madara. Does that name sound familiar? No, no...I'm sure to you it wouldn't," Danzo shook his head and looked pleased to recall days long passed. "He was the first to come here. The first to question the possibility of human soulmates. The first to find his own, who happened to be my mother."

Gaara looked angered and his voice didn't deceive him. "You're twice my age. That's impossible."

Danzo smiled and it was an eerie sight. "Ah, ah, ah. You were born of the first _recorded_ invasion. Why do you think the Uchiha came at that time? Because of Madara, of course. He told them what power existed here and they sought to claim it. They deserved to claim it."

Naruto skimmed the information in his mind. "So...you're half and half?"

Danzo looked affected by the term, but it put perspective on things for Gaara, considering he was the same. Gaara seemed to be thinking the same thing.

"Don't confuse your abilities with mine, boy. I was born from two soulmates. Those insipid Hyuuga merely created a bastard out of you."

Naruto could feel Gaara's blood boiling and he could hardly stand to listen himself. "Don't say things like that. It's not right."

Danzo looked intrigued. "Would you like to see our difference in power?"

Naruto didn't.

"I am strong on my own," Gaara bit out, and Naruto could hear the betrayal in his tone. After all, a person he had trusted was giving him a label worse than humans.

Stepping between them, Naruto held his hands spread from his sides. "Stop. This isn't why I came."

He could feel Gaara's terse breathing behind him and knew he hadn't quelled his urge to fight. Danzo, on the other hand, looked completely unbothered.

"Let me finish before you enlighten me, my little Naruto," he said. Naruto reluctantly remained silent.

"You're incredibly strong. I feel your potential bubbling with the blood of the Aliqui that marked you. I felt it in the facility and I feel it now...pumping, thrumming through your veins...and the only reason I can think to conclude the reason for my sense for it is because it is the same as the blood flowing through me. That of a soulmate. That of an Uchiha."

Naruto didn't argue because there was nothing false about what Danzo had stated. Instead he licked his lips and shifted the weight of his still damp clothes making him suddenly uncomfortable.

"You and I would make an unimaginable power, Naruto. There are ways to..._use_ you. Use your blood. Together, we could win this war, reclaim the Earth for ourselves. Unite the other soulmates and raise their children as our own. Start a master race here, one that cannot be defeated."

Naruto sank a little, slowly realizing that Danzo's rationale had long since disappeared. The glow in his eye was not that of someone thinking clearly, it was someone living a dream that was horrid and disgusting. Naruto wanted no part in that.

"It's not that I agree with their invasion, but you can't allow innocent humans to go out and fight _your_ battle," Naruto stated firmly.

Surprisingly, Danzo laughed. "Humans are plentiful. What's a few lost? They know the risks of protecting their planet."

"Do they know you have no intention of protecting them?"

Again, Danzo waved off the comment. He drank the last of his wine and set the glass down. When his eyes returned to Naruto's, he was smiling brightly again. "So, Naruto. Let's discuss our future together."

* * *

About ten minutes after Naruto and Gaara had left the apartment, the power in the city went down. Mixed with the sound of alarms howling outside were screeching car horns and the barely audible shuffle of feet as families rushed to get to wherever they were aiming to go.

About twenty minutes after the power had gone down, the city became unmistakably quiet. The high pitched screaming of the sirens died abruptly and there was nothing else to make up the void the massive noise had filled. No cars speeding down the street, no hushed whispers of street vendors, or angry curses of those who had abandoned their cars in lieu of seeking safety from the 'storm' to come.

Konohamaru had always been tough for his age. He had been forced to grow up too quickly when his parents had kicked it in a street war, leaving nothing to him but an impractical sense of tenacity that a life between gangs could provide. He had been called many things, from thug to failure, but there was one thing that he could never be accused of being.

A coward.

So when his keen senses, adapted from the many years he had spent spying on the streets of the metropolis protecting his meager assets, detected something strange beyond the front room window, he was the first to approach it and take a look outside.

"What are you doing?" Kiba asked, his shadow occupying the couch. Kakashi was standing near the front door, hunched against the wall beside it, even less visible in the dimness. A couple of candles were lit near the kitchen, more for display than practicality. The weight of darkness that encroached the room was too heavy for the insufficient flames to dispel.

Itachi was bathed in what little glow the candles produced, his features looking alarmingly pointed. His arms were crossed over his chest and if it weren't for the otherworldly gleam in his blackened eyes, he would have appeared perfectly human.

"There's something outside," Konohamaru stated, keeping himself a couple of inches from the glass. It was impossible to detect anything in the city beyond swallowed by black, but he felt a presence. It made the hair on his arms rise with goosebumps; the feeling was stronger than when he had first met Gaara.

Kakashi moved forward and tugged him backwards, nearly shoving him towards the couch. He seemed suddenly intent, like the presence was familiar. He opened the window and stepped aside as a lengthy figure entered, a slender body slipping in with an unnatural grace.

"Neji," Kakashi's voice cut through the silence like a knife, and Konohamaru avoided gaping. He had only witnessed Aliqui that called Earth their home. Seeing one so completely detached from humans made his instincts kick in, urging him to run and hide and never look the creature in the eye.

The light from the distant candles helped to cradle perfect lips as the Aliqui spoke to Kakashi in a language only three people within the room could understand.

"Where is he?" the smooth tone of Neji's voice harbored threat.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes, his lips pursing. "Who?"

Neji's expression didn't change, but his silence proved that he was doing some calculating. Assessing the situation. His eyes glowed like glazed chalcedony stones as he scanned the room, his eyes disregarding Kiba and Konohamaru's presence in favor of Itachi.

"You know the punishment for betraying our people," Neji's lips curled and he moved forward, stepping more so into the vague light. He was dressed in slender black pants and a green tunic that could be mistaken for his skin it fit so tightly. He wore a black vest over it, but one unlike anything worn by humans. It was too thin to look as sturdy as it did, and there was no doubt that even a bullet would have a difficult time penetrating it.

"I haven't betrayed anyone," Kakashi responded, stepping to the side, blocking the two humans in the room from Neji's line of sight. What he said was true. He hadn't broken any rules, or betrayed any Aliqui regulations. Still, if Neji was looking to harm Naruto, he would defend him.

Neji shifted, scowling at Itachi. "You stand with trash and claim there is no betrayal?"

Kakashi didn't have to answer because Itachi spoke for him. "Circumstantial."

"An Uchiha castaway combining forces with a somewhat prominent messenger does not seem circumstantial," Neji sounded matter-of-fact. "Tell me where he is."

"You still haven't told us who you are searching for," Itachi said, his voice almost challenging. He hadn't moved an inch since the Aliqui had entered, and the hostility between them was like a newfound gravity.

Neji wasn't affected by it. "Your brother, of course. Stowing away on a mission that theUchiha should _not_ be involved in. What kind of stupidity did your human infect him with?"

Kakashi looked agitated. "Naruto isn't stupid. If Sasuke's done something, he acted on his own."

Itachi shelved his anger in fear of curiosity. "Uchiha specifically should not be involved?"

Kakashi glanced at him and then to Neji, wondering how he had missed the small clue to something so important. Neji looked pompous in his disregard to their intrigue.

"I said no such thing."

"You implied it," Itachi stated. "I'm an Uchiha, banned or not. I should have the right to know why this _particular_ mission is a danger to me specifically."

Neji's tone rose. "I never said that it was a danger."

Itachi frowned. "Again, you implied it."

It was a struggle for dominance, and it was obvious that Neji wanted to say more than he was letting on. His eyes suddenly lifted.

"I'm not telling you this because I care if your dishonorable soul passes on," he stated bluntly, "but more so because I'd rather not have Sasuke's death on my conscience. You are _not_ to go anywhere near a human by the name of Danzo. He isn't human, after all, and his predecessor was Madara." Neji looked frustrated that he had admitted _that_ much.

Itachi's eyes were wide. Kakashi didn't understand. "Why does that make him a danger?"

Neji tolerated Kakashi's questions, but only because they had worked as contacts for each other for so long. Before he could answer, Itachi cut in.

"You shouldn't go near him, Kakashi. If he's got Madara's bloodline and he understands what that means, he's probably a Blood Seeker. He'll drain anyone with Uchiha blood to gain a full inheritance."

Kakashi felt his blood run cold.

"How is that even possible?"

Neji looked away from Itachi and Itachi looked grim. "Aliqui blood makes you stronger. Think of the humans that have encountered it but been unable to control it. Naruto could because Sasuke was his soulmate. I'm guessing that Danzo is a Made Aliqui…his parents were soulmates and so he was born whole. The old texts used to say that those born without someone to search for would seek power instead."

"You can be stronger than being whole?" Kakashi asked, feeling unnerved.

Itachi looked frustrated. "Danzo seems to think so."

Neji looked grim. "So you see the importance of keeping Sasuke away from him, correct? And his human as well. Where is the boy?" He looked around, half expecting Naruto to arrive at any moment.

Itachi and Kakashi met eyes. "Shit," they said in unison.

"We've got to go—" Kakashi stepped forward and Neji effectively blocked his exit.

"No, you two will do nothing. Uchiha blood is what is required and both of you have it. I won't let you leave." Neji's eyes glowed in the dim lighting of the room.

A gust of wind caused a pile of loose papers on Itachi's kitchen counter to stir, and from the couch, Konohamaru and Kiba looked vaguely baffled.

"Okay," Konohamaru said. "Can you repeat all of that again in English?"

Kakashi shifted and did his best to paraphrase. "Naruto's in danger."

Konohamaru frowned and Kiba leapt up. "What? How?"

"It's a long story," Kakashi stated and he glanced over to Itachi. "But in short, Itachi and I are unable to go after him."

Konohamaru's eyes lingered on Neji before he got to his feet and summoned a maturity beyond his years. "I'll go, then. It has to do with Danzo, right? He's someone I'm familiar with, and I'm human…and I _won't_ get in the way."

Kiba growled. "What he said," he nodded towards his younger friend.

Itachi spoke some words to Neji who didn't look pleased. He responded and Kakashi translated.

"Neji isn't responsible for your lives."

Konohamaru snorted and grabbed a few daggers from Kiba's pack by the couch. "Good. I never asked him to be."

Kiba zipped up his backpack and pulled it over his shoulder, looking to Neji for direction. He bottled his nerves and swallowed his guilt, feeling like he should have gone with Naruto in the first place.

He hoped that Gaara would be enough until they arrived.

* * *

**a/n:**

So the next chapter is the one I've been waiting for since the beginning, but I don't want to jinx myself by being all like, "OMG it's gonna be the best EVERRRRRRRRRR" so we shall wait and see, LOL. But I'm already on it so don't even stress. This story will be finished in no time.

Fanime was awesome. I posted pics on my LJ (link is on my profile) if anyone wants to see. My roomies and I had amazing cosplays for Avatar the Last Airbender, Soul Eater, and One Piece. I also met Master of Rebels and Pringlebunny and I consider that a great accomplishment in my life, especially because we get along so well. :D

**SPOILERS:**

Because every once in a while, the Naruto manga makes me feel happy. Can anyone say Kushina? Yay! And Naruto hugging her made my heart go doki doki. I'm excited to see how her chakra is special, especially considering the fact she pretty much bolted the Kyuubi down with a mere thought.

Also, was anyone else a little disappointed by the anime episode with Naruto returning as the Toad Sage? It may be my Media Arts and Animation degree speaking, but...there were no in-betweens. Instead of animating they just slapped down colored manga panels. Naruto didn't feel as awesome as he did in the manga...but who knows, I could have just gotten myself too worked up about it.

Until next time!


	14. Chapter 12

**Slumberland **

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**Author:** Ladelle

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** I seriously wrote 12 pages of this back after the first Interlude, and only three of them ended up being used. :deep sigh: I was so excited for this chapter though. It's the start of 'yay, it gets so much better from here!' not that I ever considered it bad but…I do like writing action and…stuff.

Thank you so much for all of your reviews. I appreciate them and they keep me goin' strong!

Thank you for beta-ing, Master of Rebels!

* * *

**Chapter 12**

"There's no future to talk about." Naruto was disgusted by the thought. Danzo was still smiling, like at any moment Naruto might change his mind and realize the importance of his request. Except there was no importance behind it, at least none that Naruto could see.

Only death, and something Naruto couldn't pinpoint. Danzo watched him like a starving man eyed a buffet, and Naruto felt adrenaline bubbling in his veins, hinting that he should run. Every piece of his logical mind was demanding that he grab Gaara's wrist and book it back to Itachi's and never look back.

But the doors behind them closed, courtesy of the two body guards Danzo had brought. Naruto eyed them in surprise and felt his heartbeat hasten. He turned to glance at Gaara, but the half-Aliqui had already reacted.

Naruto watched as he sped forward, and his eyes couldn't quite see all that Gaara did to defeat the two guards. In seconds they were on the floor, writhing, their eyes rolled to the back of their heads as they groaned in agony.

Stepping back, Naruto swallowed a lump that had grown in his throat. It was gruesome, and somehow, the painful display in front of him cemented the fact that the war had begun. He remembered stumbling into the pitch black subway station with Kiba and his stomach rose to his throat.

Death. Pain. He had to stop it.

He whipped around to face Danzo and tumbled backwards when the older man was suddenly beside him, not a sound to discern his inexplicably fast movement. Naruto could feel the panic coming on; panic of the unknown. He couldn't think straight. Everything was a blur.

Danzo walking towards him, index finger outstretched to graze his forehead. Gaara was rushing towards him. The entire room spun.

"What are you _doing_?"

Naruto felt Gaara's hands collide with his side, shoving him away from Danzo's grasp. There was a growl in his voice and as Naruto struggled to catch his fall, his head began to clear. He couldn't be afraid. He didn't have time to be scared.

"Watch out!" He yelled back to Gaara, and he looked on as Gaara twisted deftly from Danzo's finger, avoiding it by mere inches. Naruto tried to remember what he had learned.

Concentration was power.

Danzo was coming at Gaara again, obviously considering him the bigger threat. He moved extremely limberly for as old as he was, and Naruto digested the fact that he was a man of the military, trained to fight.

He clenched his fist as Gaara was backed up against a table and Danzo's fingers found his throat. Naruto leapt forward, concentrating everything he could into the palm of his hand.

He refused to be useless.

The blow hit Danzo and Naruto's hand stung at the impact. Danzo flew backwards, and luckily, he didn't take Gaara with him. The force with which he hit the wall demolished it and Naruto hissed and grabbed his wrist, having underestimated his own strength.

Looking unsure of what to say after the blatant display of raw power, Gaara attempted to hide his surprise. He reached for Naruto's wrist but stopped when the rubble beneath the collapsed wall moved and Danzo pulled himself up from the debris.

"He won't be that easy," Gaara's eyes narrowed and he readied himself to exchange blows once again.

"I figured as much," Naruto snorted. He stood behind Gaara and glanced down to his hands. That punch had been amazing, but too much. He had to figure out a way to tone it down.

"Such power," Danzo smiled, and then laughed. "Your blood. It sings to me."

Naruto swallowed. That most likely meant that it wasn't _his_ blood, but Sasuke's. An Aliqui's. But if Gaara's blood didn't matter…maybe it was an Uchiha's specifically?

Was Danzo after Sasuke? Naruto found himself ecstatic that he had never told the older man anything about Sasuke. He was grateful he had barely said anything at all.

"Naruto," Gaara said, and it was strange how his tone said so many things at once. With one word, Gaara told Naruto he was worried, told Naruto that they needed to get out as soon as possible, and told him that the only way they could get out of there alive was to fight together.

Naruto understood. "What do I do?"

Gaara growled. "Anything you can."

He rushed forward and Naruto watched as he summoned his own Aliqui energy to fight. It was a mismatched fight, but Gaara was quick. Even Danzo seemed surprised by his agility, and Naruto raced up to them, sensing an opening. Luckily enough, Gaara ducked and Danzo's chest was exposed, and Naruto slammed his fist forward, clenching his eyes when his knuckles stung in protest.

Danzo howled as he fell headlong, his teeth clacking as the force hurled him backwards. Naruto and Gaara backed up a few steps while he rolled on the floor, cursing to himself.

It seemed too easy.

Naruto's wrist burned.

Gaara was panting; he looked tired.

"Ridiculous…" Danzo said, getting to his feet again, summoning his stamina. "For you to think you could even come _close_ to defeating me, ridiculous." His expression was darker and his eyes were red. Naruto recognized that.

It wasn't a good sign. It was as if Danzo hadn't been fighting seriously until now.

"I was hoping I wouldn't have to kill you," venom dripping from his tone. "But don't worry, little Naruto. I need your blood, so I'll do my best to mangle you from the inside out."

The room turned cold and Naruto lost his confidence. For the first time, he felt fear.

* * *

"The last person that tried to convince me to take the subway was Naruto," Kiba proclaimed, forming a cross with his fingers as Neji and Konohamaru began their descent into the underground station. "And do you know what we found? Bodies. Tons of them. Dead."

The youngest member of their group rolled his eyes. "So you'd rather stay up there? In the rain? Where you might _end up_ a dead body if the war breaks out?"

Kiba seemed to consider this for a moment. "That's an unfair alternative."

Konohamaru continued down the staircase regardless because Neji wasn't waiting. Kiba swallowed his pride and raced afterwards, tightening the backpack he was wearing. The rain had made it heavy, and he hoped that he wouldn't have to use the weapons inside. It was an unrealistic hope and he had fought Aliqui before, but now…he didn't feel like it.

He didn't want to kill anyone.

Amazingly enough, the subways were still running. They were screeching more than usual, and Kiba pegged it on the unexpected humidity from the downpour. They had caught the tram just in time, and Neji simply stared, a little thrown as for what to do.

Konohamaru stepped past him and climbed on board, turning to give Neji the 'okay, now do what I just did'. Kakashi and Itachi had explained to Neji how to get to the subway after they decided it would be the fastest mode of transportation. It was apparent Neji's people had nothing like it, and Kiba had to bite his tongue from letting his amusement show.

"Just like riding a bike," Kiba coaxed as he stepped into the vehicle, shrugging when Konohamaru gave him a dirty look. "Only you don't have to do as much work. Or damage your family jewels."

The doors closed and Konohamaru grabbed a steadying bar. "I'm sure someone here could do some good damage," he replied.

Kiba twisted his body, just in case Konohamaru was looking for an opening. "Way to be uncharacteristically serious on a mission that could mean certain death."

This time, Konohamaru did smirk. "You chose to come, too."

"Yeah, but I'm his best friend. It's a requirement to risk your life when a crazy half-alien government official dude is trying to take out your best friend."

The train lurched forward and Kiba gripped the steadying pole alongside Konohamaru. Neji followed in suit, looking like the subway was the worst invention he had ever seen in his life.

Kiba didn't judge him because frankly, he agreed.

The trip was short, and also filled with silence. Konohamaru was incredibly focused, and Kiba wished he could feel more resolute. It was a habit for him to fill the gaps of fear he felt with humor, even if he knew the situation was as dire as it was.

The fact it involved Naruto helped. Naruto was definitely the center of what was happening, and he wasn't sure how he knew that. It just made sense. And he was a part of it, and he could save Naruto's life. He had made mistakes, and now he wanted to fix them. He wanted to believe in Naruto and he wanted Naruto to succeed.

"This is it, right?" Konohamaru asked. Kakashi had told them the fifth stop.

Kiba hadn't been keeping track, so he trusted Konohamaru's judgment. "I think so."

They departed, and as Konohamaru stepped off the train, he looked up wearily towards their exit. Kiba stepped out behind him and clutched the backpack strap around his chest tightly, realizing why the teenager had paused. He could see pebbles tumbling down the stairwell and he could hear feet pounding against the pavement above. He was aware of the yelling, the war cries, the general craziness he _knew_ was Danzo's followers beginning their raid.

He looked at Neji.

There was no way he'd be ignored. He was tall and slender, and his limbs were somehow perfectly proportioned. His hair was too long and glossy, and his facial features were too delicate to be considered normal. A thin nose over thin lips, and eyes that looked like frost on a lake frozen from winter's crisp coolness. Konohamaru was looking at him too, and after a minute, Kiba caught his eyes.

"They'll kill him."

Konohamaru frowned. "No, he'll kill _them_. I don't want anyone to get killed."

It was a naive remark, but Kiba felt the same way. Neji didn't know what they were saying, so he started forward, obviously unafraid. Kiba stepped in front of him and placed a hand on his chest, glaring up in warning.

"We're trying to help you," he said, even though he knew his words didn't mean anything. Neji's slender fingers curled around his wrist, and Kiba lost some of the tension he had, simply because he didn't want Neji to think him a threat.

"Give him your jacket. I'll give him my shoes; we look about the same size," Konohamaru leaned down and started unstrapping his velcro sneakers, and Kiba lifted his hand slightly to rest on a strap that stretched across Neji's chest.

"Take off your jacket," Kiba said, looking Neji straight in the eye. He saw confusion and irritation staring back at him. He tugged the band loose and Neji's hand tightened on his wrist, more than a warning. Kiba rolled his eyes and stepped backwards, dropping his backpack onto the ground before he began unbuttoning the brown plaid jacket he had borrowed from Itachi. After he shrugged it off his shoulders, he extended it towards the Aliqui, whose nose scrunched in disgust.

Kiba shook the jacket in front of Neji. "Put it on."

Konohamaru slid his shoes towards Neji and rifled through Kiba's backpack before withdrawing a long leather strap. When he glanced up, he explained, "For his hair. No man in his right mind has hair that long in this city."

Kiba almost laughed at the validity of the statement. It was too hot for hair so long. And too dry for hair that looked like silk.

"Come on," Kiba pleaded, pushing the jacket closer to Neji. "Please." They met eyes again, and this time, Neji gave in. He didn't look like he agreed, but when Neji's eyes flashed towards the light from the street above, he looked at least like he understood what they were trying to do. He slid out of his jacket and pulled Kiba's on, and refused to touch the shoes.

Konohamaru frowned. "Dude, you look like a homeless butler. Put the shoes on." He crossed his arms over his chest, and finally, as if fed up with the whole ordeal, Neji obeyed. Kiba shoved the thin leather jacket into his backpack and Konohamaru didn't even ask before he slid into Neji's boots, making sure they were well hidden beneath his baggy jeans.

"Whoa. They just adjusted to my feet," he looked down in awe and stepped backwards a couple of times, as if testing how comfortable they felt. "Kiba, if we make it through this, remind me to patent this boot and become a millionaire."

Kiba rolled his eyes and snagged the leather cord from the teenager and held it out to Neji. There was no way he was going to braid another man's hair, so instead, he lifted up a long lock of Neji's and shook his head 'no'. Neji seemed to get the point, and he seemed to be growing more frustrated with every camouflage tactic they came up with. The Aliqui tied his hair back into a bun and gave Kiba a look that said, 'Are we done yet?'

Kiba almost smirked. "Hey, I think there's a sense of humor in there!"

Konohamaru hopped to his side. "He's not a robot, Kiba. He's an extremely advanced being."

Kiba snorted. "Since when did you get so buddy-buddy with the Aliqui?"

Neji started forward, looking agitated with small talk he didn't understand. Konohamaru raced in front of him, knowing that he and Kiba had a better chance of knowing where to go. Kiba followed, and Konohamaru never answered his question.

The streets were packed. There were people yelling, crowds screaming, blades and daggers and shovels hoisted into the air demanding a fight. The trio weaved through the crowd and Neji stayed silent behind them, keeping his eyes low. Konohamaru noticed and thought it was smart; he knew they were a giveaway. It was funny how Neji had told Kakashi he wasn't responsible for Kiba or Konohamaru's lives, and that in the end, they had taken responsibility for his.

Konohamaru slid his hand into Neji's and led him forward, hoping that the action could be considered something of a truce. Or, even if Neji didn't have the want or capability to befriend them, at least there might be trust. At first Neji's hand pulled away, but when Konohamaru's grip tightened, Neji's fingers folded around his.

Kiba said something about the building being close. Konohamaru could see it not 20 meters away. The crowds were whispering, chattering away about everything and anything. Konohamaru heard something about Danzo and a fight. Something about him being late.

Kiba must have heard it too, because he looked back over his shoulder. Their eyes met. They both knew, somehow, that they needed to hurry.

* * *

"I don't like playing games." Danzo was completely still, and the fact he held so much confidence made his statement even more of a threat. He glanced back and forth between Gaara and Naruto, debating who to get rid of first. Naruto could see the indecision in the older man's eyes; the desire to kill and the means and reasoning to do so.

"There's a technique," Danzo sounded enamored with his statement, "that only a few Aliqui can master. In fact, I am the only one! It is a technique that no one has survived."

Gaara edged closer to Naruto in a protective gesture, but instead of feeling comforted, Naruto's nerves felt like they were beginning to fray. He stepped back unconsciously, a tiny movement that Danzo caught and looked satisfied with.

Gaara was trying to pull enough confidence for the both of them, it seemed. He frowned and spat, "No one cares about your techniques."

Even from feet away, Naruto felt Danzo's anger flare. His eyes narrowed to form a much more ruthless expression than before, and his lips cinched together so tightly that it looked like his skin would swallow them up. The room felt colder, and Naruto felt his blood sluggishly chug through his system.

"Most Aliqui can affect an enemy physically," Danzo continued anyways, and this time, neither Naruto nor Gaara interjected. "They can snap bones from the very core of the marrow, and splinter apart cartilage as though it was string cheese. I am different. I am stronger."

Naruto remembered the time when Sasuke had rescued him, and put the pieces together. Sasuke's power had been what Danzo had just explained, breaking an enemy apart from the inside. Recalling the sound of cracking bones and a sharp howl of pin, Naruto shuddered. How could you damage someone further?

As if reading Naruto's thoughts, Danzo carried on. "Destroying someone physically is child's play. Devastating someone mentally is on a completely different level; I can stuff your head full of whatever thoughts I want. I can feed your mind anything I want. I could convince you to kill yourself—control you, make you kill someone else—I am the most dangerous man you will ever meet."

Naruto had always considered Sasuke strong because he, on the other hand, was weak in comparison. Now, as Danzo defined strength, Naruto began to wonder just where Sasuke stood on the power totem pole for the Aliqui people. It sounded like Sasuke was weaker, and Naruto felt his teeth clench together. If Sasuke was weaker than Danzo, where did that put him?

"I am stronger than anything you've ever known, Naruto. I could have been your teacher," the older man paused and seemed to wait momentarily, almost as if he expected Naruto to give in to his fear and change his mind. And while Naruto had a great deal of terror coursing through him, he had no interest in any offer Danzo had for him. He swallowed a lump that had formed in his throat, the weight of the responsibility he had decided to shoulder finally feeling like it fit his human frame.

He was afraid. The odds were against him. He _couldn't_ lose. There were too many people depending on him, and if Danzo did have the power he claimed, it was almost like the world needed him to win.

"You are prepared to die?" Danzo asked, a shadow of disbelief in his tone.

Gaara didn't look back to Naruto for any sort of reassurance, but Naruto hadn't expected him to. He answered for them both. "If that's what it takes to stop you, then yes."

Danzo hunched over and resolved his anger and disappointment with intent to kill. When he moved, it was so fast that Naruto only felt the air around him shift, whipping against his skin viciously. He lifted his arms in defense, prepared for contact, ready to hold his ground.

The impact never came.

Naruto realized seconds too late that Danzo had targeted Gaara instead of himself, and when he opened his eyes and glanced to the side, he let out a strangled gasp. Danzo's finger was jammed against Gaara's forehead as the young half-Aliqui clawed at the older man's wrist in a panic. He was screaming, and it was a sound that made Naruto's insides feel like they were being hastily ripped to shreds.

"Gaara…" Naruto tried to yell is name, but he was frozen in place. Gaara was on his knees now, howling, eyes rolling to the back of his head while Danzo grinned wickedly from above, his own eyes glowing dangerously as he continued with the attack only he was able to do.

Naruto moved. He surged forward and grabbed Danzo's elbow, causing the finger placed on Gaara to lift. The action left Naruto defenseless, and he knew it. His stomach was wide open, and he expected a firm punch, something that would be enough to crack his ribs and squeeze every ounce of oxygen from his body, all before some sort of final blow. Instead, Danzo spun towards him, smirking as his opposite hand curled to allow one finger to press itself to Naruto's temple.

Naruto's eyes were wide. Danzo was grinning. Gaara fell to a silent heap beside them, unmoving with blood seeping from his nose onto the white linoleum floor below. He looked so weak in that moment, and Naruto felt something growing inside of him.

_I can't lose._

In the same light, it was impossible for him to win.

He grabbed Danzo's wrist with both of his hands and saw the glint in Danzo's eyes as he struggled to free himself.

Naruto screamed.

His vision went blurry and suddenly he was in his own mind, images plundering him. It was anything Danzo could think to shove into his skull—memories of events, emotions mainly of pain and betrayal, of a boy whose parents had orphaned him on Earth in favor of ascending to a ship high in the stars.

It was the fear of a child, alone with powers that he didn't understand, only a letter left behind from his mother to explain what he had come from and who he was. Memories of a voice, yet recollections of nothing.

Naruto realized suddenly what he was doing. He wasn't screaming anymore, because he had the advantage. Instead of absorbing facts from a book or piece of newspaper, he was sucking up everything that Danzo was stuffing him with. He was like a vacuum, sucking up every detail that he could. He couldn't stop. He didn't know how. He was like a bystander near a dam that had collapsed, and waves of knowledge and experience flooding past him, and all that he could do was watch the aftermath.

_Let go of me_.

It was Danzo's voice, filled with terror and anger.

Naruto didn't let go. He couldn't obey.

He saw Danzo waiting during the first invasion, hoping his parents would return for him. They never came. He trained and worked his way to a high rank with the military, knowing that was as close as he could get to them. When the Aliqui returned, the military would be dispatched, and he'd be the first to find them.

He was less patient during the second invasion; this time, he searched. He'd used his resources to capture Aliqui, to use their blood. He believed that it strengthened his own. Danzo heard the name Naruto Uzumaki associated with 'soulmate', and his intentions changed. He wanted power more than his parents, and so his search shifted.

The invasion ended. Still, there was no sign of his parents returning for him. There was no sign of Naruto, either. Danzo's anger flooded Naruto's mind and he downed it like a rich drink, savoring the emotions behind it, trying not to let Danzo overpower him.

_Let go of me!_

Naruto replied this time.

_They won't come back for you._

Danzo's response was unexpected. It was as if the floodgates of these memories had awoken the true insanity behind the mask Danzo wore. When his voice ground through Naruto's mind, it was heavy and thick like syrup.

_I'll find them and kill them. I'll kill them all!_

The intensity behind the exclamation made Naruto clench his teeth and he stood his ground.

_You're not going to kill anyone! _Naruto threw the thought back with such a force that he felt Danzo's mind retreat a fraction. He had been tugging back against the force of Naruto pulling him in, but now he fought back. If Danzo had sent anger before, this time, he sent fury.

Naruto couldn't hear it or even feel his throat, but he knew that he was crying out in pain. The willpower to overcome him—no—to _kill_ him, was coming full force and it was like a tidal wave. It was so much that Naruto couldn't even sort through it before it overwhelmed him.

Naruto had reached his limit.

Naruto felt it then; the combustion growing inside of his skull, feeling pressured to burst at any moment. He took as much as he still could, but soon, there was no more room. His blood was pounding in his temples and he could hear his own voice, as though he was suddenly being ejected from his mind and thrown back to consciousness. Pain suffocated his limbs and he knew that this was it, the moment where he would die, and—

Suddenly, the pain was gone. Naruto's eyes opened out of habit, and not easily. The world was a haze of muddled colors and warped perspectives, and everything he heard made him imagine he was underwater, struggling to make sense of long vowels with little articulation.

He saw the ground coming towards him and knew somewhere in the back of his mind that he was falling. His body wouldn't react to brace for the collision, but it didn't have to. He never hit the floor, and after a long moment, saw the linoleum sinking further away. He felt a pressure around his waist and realized that it was an arm.

Someone had rescued him?

Gaara?

Naruto looked up, using all of the strength he could muster, feeling drunk with pain and a numbness in his skull that couldn't be compared to anything he had ever felt before. It wasn't Gaara that had saved him.

It was Sasuke.

His lips were moving. He was speaking. Naruto wondered to whom, and a whisper in the back of his head provided a name: Danzo. His senses were so disoriented that he couldn't make sense of anything, he couldn't even read the tone. Was there anger in Sasuke's voice, or was it just Naruto's imagination?

There was a broken sound in the room, and Naruto realized it was coming from him. As he slowly began to adjust, he could feel wetness on his cheeks and soreness from his throat contracting as he formed muddled sounds of confusion. How much pain had he survived?

Red eyes met his own. Sasuke had never looked so beautiful. He had also never looked as enraged.

They were moving. Naruto stumbled along as Sasuke pulled him away, unsure of how his body knew how to walk, considering he couldn't even think coherently.

Gaara.

Naruto stopped and wavered, trying to say the name through his lips with a voice that had given out on him long ago. He felt panic. They were leaving Gaara behind. Gaara would get hurt.

Gaara…was he dead?

Naruto couldn't remember. He felt himself starting to panic, but Sasuke only tugged him harder.

"Gaara…" Naruto's voice was coarse as they tore out of the building and into the downpour outside. Sasuke wouldn't stop. Naruto yelled the Aliqui word for 'wait' with as much stamina that he could muster and this time, Sasuke did pause and turn to stare at him.

"I…can't…" Naruto could barely process his own thoughts. When the walls of intellect left him, all that remained was emotion. Was Gaara dead? Had Danzo killed him? No, it was Naruto's fault they had gone to see Danzo…Naruto felt his eyes tear up and couldn't pull forward the strength to create a façade of manliness.

There was a screech from high in the sky, metal groaning as it shifted. The ships. Naruto looked up, rain pelting his face, and he felt his breathing hasten. It had started. The invasion had begun. Had he failed? Had he done something wrong? Had he-

Sasuke kissed him.

It was brief, lips brushing lips for a fraction of a second. Sasuke's eyes never closed, they just gazed. Naruto felt himself drawn to them, and before he knew it, he felt like his stability was back. He felt stronger and could see what Sasuke was thinking; they had to get away.

Naruto let Sasuke lead him, their fingers tangled together in the haste of escape. Bodies collided against them as they surged through the crowd, and Naruto felt time slow, small details etching themselves into his mind, smearing reality with a sort of fantasy he wasn't sure he wanted to flee.

The dark overcoat that covered Sasuke's skin moved between them, rhythmically in sync with the foot-beats that echoed behind them, footprints blanketed by the masses that swarmed like a nest of ants through the city, scattering in terror and confusion. It was chaos and disorder, and an orchestra of voices loud and bleeding together in a frenzied melody.

Blood pulsed through Naruto's body like fire and the tempo of his heart blurred his vision. All he could see was Sasuke. His eyes sought out where their skin touched, a flurry of something unrecognizable assaulting his senses, making his breathing seem calm despite how fast he was running.

There was an abandoned convenience store in front of them, and Sasuke nearly glided inside, tugging Naruto against him as people flushed through the street outside, like rushing water through a cramped pipe. He could have moved from that embrace, pulled back and straightened his clothes, pretended like there was still a wall between them.

Naruto didn't pull away. He pressed himself closer, and Sasuke stepped backwards, finding support against the wall behind him. A hand crept around to Naruto's back and he arched against it, unsure of what the action meant but unwilling to question the sincerity behind it.

He looked up and Sasuke was staring down at him, expressionless. Processing. Debating. Thinking too hard, and Naruto was thinking too little. He pushed forward, his chest colliding with Sasuke's, rising to his tip-toes so that their bodies melted together as he tested Sasuke's lips with his own.

The rich taste of things unknown invaded his very being, fueling the beginnings of an appetite Naruto hadn't known existed. Languidly, their mouths pulled to part. He swallowed and Naruto could only watch Sasuke's lips as he breathed desperately through his own.

They formed words that swallowed Naruto's every thought. "You…are so frustrating."

Naruto's eyes moved to find Sasuke's, but the Aliqui looked lost once again, warring with the logic in his mind and the human before him. He was staring past Naruto to the world beyond, through postered windows and smudged glass. He was mesmerized, even if his expression hadn't changed. Naruto saw it in his eyes, felt it while against him.

"You came back for me," Naruto said, his heart beating faster with every breath he took. He didn't understand the fever overtaking him; he just let it consume what it could. He wouldn't pull himself away now; he couldn't even if he tried. Every worry in his mind had disappeared; he felt lost in a dream. It felt unreal, and his actions still felt sluggish.

Sasuke gazed at him, an air of wisdom that Naruto wasn't familiar with filling the space between them. "You wouldn't leave me alone."

Naruto rested his head against Sasuke's chest and lowered himself down to the soles of his shoes, letting Sasuke take on most of his weight. His head was pounding. He felt like he was putty being pulled in ten directions, and when he blinked, he realized his vision was once again unfocused.

The sounds outside were loud and unbearable, and they made Naruto feel cold. Along with Danzo's brigade, Naruto assumed the city was panicking. Either that, or the civilians were once again being led away...

The city _had_ to be evacuated. It was best, and there was no organized way of doing it. It still felt like the end of the world, no matter how Naruto tried to think differently. The clamor of human bodies struggling for escape combined with the grinding metal of the ships overhead—it sounded like an end.

Naruto wondered silently when it had begun.

"Are you alright?" Sasuke asked, and Naruto suddenly went limp against him, his legs giving out. Sasuke slid to the floor under Naruto's weight, never once loosening his grip around Naruto's waist. He sat back against refrigerated glass doors and twisted Naruto onto his back, worry etched across his face.

Naruto answered honestly and quietly, aware that his voice still sounded pained. "I'm not sure."

Sasuke ran a hand through his hair and followed the curve of Naruto's neck before resting his fingers above the carotid artery within, looking less than content after gauging Naruto's pulse.

"Breathe slowly."

Naruto tried. Whenever he closed his eyes, images and emotions assaulted him again and again, like a strobe light; all of the excess he hadn't been able to soak up, and such tiny bits of information that he couldn't linger on one and focus on what it meant. His eyes snapped open and he was breathing hastily again.

"Breathe deeply," Sasuke adjusted, and Naruto wondered if he thought that 'slower' and 'deeper' had different meanings.

Naruto let out a shaky breath. "I can't. My brain is going a thousand miles an hour and I can't shut it off." He was irritated.

"Why?"

Naruto nearly growled. "I don't know. Maybe because Danzo shoved his whole damn life story into my skull?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, and Naruto shook his head, feeling a little guilty that he had just snapped. "Can you grab me some Tylenol? There should be some around here..." He tried to move, but his body didn't seem to be communicating well with his brain. Normally, after taking in so much information, he could sleep it off. Now, his brain wouldn't shut down and there was nothing he could do about it.

"Tylenol?"

"Medicine..." Naruto sighed, and Sasuke looked surprisingly patient.

"I don't think your human medicines will do any good," Sasuke said blandly, putting an emphasis on the fact he didn't think highly of human remedies. "Tell me how you fought him."

Naruto was confused, blinking through a few more memories that weren't his own as his mind tried to calm. "What?"

"The human. Danzo. Unless you weren't the one that injured him?"

Naruto didn't remember injuring Danzo. It was hard to think with Sasuke asking him so many questions. He knew he sounded impatient and frustrated when he answered.

"He just pushed things into my mind and I took it. I...absorbed it? There was too much?" Everything was a question because he wasn't sure himself.

Sasuke sounded bitter. "What idiot taught you such a reckless ability." It wasn't a question, and Naruto suspected that Sasuke figured he had stumbled upon the talent himself.

"Your brother..." he answered, and there was something akin to jealousy paired with anger that flashed through his eyes. He could feel a puddle forming beneath him, the rain seeping from his clothes onto the floor below, and Sasuke's expression added to the chill in the room.

Before he could say anything, Naruto mumbled on. "Danzo...is really strong. He can go into your mind...he's...his parents were soulmates. He's the only one, I think...and he said something about a Madara..." He saw Sasuke's face change with how badly he could piece together a sentence, more worry than anything pulling his lips downward into a frown.

Sasuke's finger left its cradled position against Naruto's neck and found its way to Naruto's forehead. Naruto felt momentarily panicked, and Sasuke placed his free hand over Naruto's eyes.

"It's not something only he can do. It's something only Uchiha can do."

And Naruto felt it. Suddenly he was back where he had been before, only instead of Danzo being there, it was Sasuke. It didn't hurt this time, and Sasuke's presence, though noticeably powerful, was also very gentle.

_All of this was his?_ Sasuke asked, and Naruto heard the doubt in his tone.

_Maybe not all of it_, he responded.

Sasuke's voice was demanding, but the pictures were coming slower, and Naruto felt more at ease.

_Show me the parts about Madara._

Naruto wasn't sure how, and the thought rushed past him and Sasuke saw it. Nothing was a secret in this place, at least for Naruto. He couldn't control his thoughts well enough to hide anything.

_So many colors_. Sasuke's voice sounded distant. Naruto watched as different memories tumbled past, and didn't see what Sasuke saw. They were just his memories, bunched with Danzo's. _His are darker than yours. Almost black._

They were separating. Sasuke was doing it for Naruto, splitting the pieces of Naruto's mind that were his own, and those that Danzo had flushed through. The ones with Madara were watched, and Naruto felt naked.

_Hey, stop it._

Sasuke continued to rifle though the information Naruto had accidently gathered, ignoring the request. Naruto saw nothing he could do about it, so he tried to find something else. A distraction.

He went towards Sasuke's presence in his mind. It wasn't an easy thing to explain, it was like grasping for an invisible thread that he _knew_ was there, but couldn't see.

_Stop._

Naruto didn't; he pulled on the string and suddenly he was inside Sasuke's head. He saw himself, a creature brimming with colors he had never seen before; colors that didn't exist. It was all warmth and want and desperation, and suddenly the string he had grabbed was visible to him, red, like a tiny ribbon connecting the both of them unconsciously.

_Is this how you see me?_

Naruto blinked and he was back in the convenience store, Sasuke shifting uncomfortably beneath him as they both adjusted to the real world and its florescent lighting.

"Ow," Naruto rubbed his eyes and realized his headache was gone. His limbs moved as he wanted them to, and he could breathe normally. Sasuke had fixed him.

He sat up and turned to view Sasuke's face; it looked cold, like Naruto had seen something he shouldn't have, or intruded on something extremely private.

"I'm sorry," Naruto said reflexively. "And thank you," he added.

There was a long pause and he remembered the kiss he had initiated earlier, feeling embarrassed suddenly. His eyes drifted to Sasuke's lips once again, and it was as if the walls really had disappeared. No matter how much Sasuke would try and deny it, Naruto knew now—knew that the indescribable draw between them was not only fated, but unavoidable.

He tore his vision from Sasuke's face, recognizing lust when he felt it. He had also realized something else.

"You're not supposed to be here."

"Things are going to get more complicated," Sasuke stated, and before Naruto could ask how, he spoke again. "They probably won't end well."

Naruto nodded and scooted forward, creating a space between them and disregarding his body's instant argument to the decision. "I don't want to think about it," he said truthfully. Tomorrow was full of uncertainties and he could barely process what he'd just been through today.

The warmth he had felt faded when he thought about his future. Confronting Danzo again made him feel sick to his stomach and the prospect of facing the Aliqui courts with Sasuke made him feel worse. It would be kind if they decided to execute him…but he was starting to fear something the alternative.

Could he really be apart from Sasuke again?

The thought made him feel sluggish; stuck in space, a tiny piece of the universe that wasn't significant in the least. His entire life seemed to lead to this moment, and this moment was smothering away his life.

"Stop," Sasuke wasn't looking at him, but Naruto knew that the Aliqui had guessed what he was thinking. "I don't know what to do when you're upset."

Naruto forced a smile. "I'm not usually upset. I just need to think for a minute."

Sasuke nodded and Naruto stood and drifted away, trying to organize his thoughts, and feel comfortable in his own body once again.

He wandered around the store, running his hands across the candies and snacks that lined the aisles, letting random memories overcome him, trying to relive what it felt like to have hardly a care in the world. By the time he reached the front door, the street outside had quieted, and it reminded Naruto of the first time he had wandered the lonely intersections of the city along with Kiba.

It was beautiful in its deconstruction, he realized. On top of that, the thought to rescue it crossed his mind. It was his world, as much as it was the Aliqui. The sun-scorched tar outside was his, and so were the buildings that crept up and out of sight, and so were the metals that decorated the brightly colored cars that sat abandoned beyond the window.

Sasuke was silent as he processed his thoughts. Naruto turned and smiled. "I'm better now."

"I don't believe you."

"You should," Naruto stated. There was a silence that stretched between them, and when Naruto turned to view Sasuke again, he was still sitting in a pool of black fabric. Their eyes met.

"Are we strong enough to fight together?" Naruto asked, honestly curious. Danzo was afraid of what they were, but Naruto didn't really think they were very intimidating. Were they enough to form a plan to proposition the council?

Sasuke seemed surprised by the question.

"Who are _we_ fighting against?" he asked, a hint of irritation in his tone.

Naruto frowned. "We can't just run."

Sasuke's expression dulled. "_You_ are going to hide. _You_ will not fight anyone."

Stepping closer to where Sasuke was seated, Naruto snorted. "Right. Get off your pedestal. We're in this together."

Sasuke didn't seem phased by Naruto's frustration, so Naruto lightly kicked his exposed boot. Their eyes found each others' once again and Naruto sank down to his knees.

"I'm not going to hide somewhere. I'm done letting you out of my sight. I'm strong too, just in different ways than you. I can be stronger." Naruto believed what he said, and Sasuke pursed his lips.

"Naruto," he said, very bluntly. "You're not ready to become stronger. Not with me. You don't even know what that means. That's the difference between us—you just don't know anything."

Naruto plopped onto the ground. "So teach me."

Biting his lip, Sasuke looked to be on the verge of rolling his eyes. "Naruto, you're not ready."

A deep sigh pushed its way through Naruto's lips and he released a growl of agitation. "We don't have time for me to 'be ready'. If you haven't noticed, there's a war going on," Naruto even pointed outside, already pitch black from ships that had blotted out the moon and stars.

Fated attraction to Sasuke aside, the Aliqui was certainly one who liked to be in control. It didn't sit well with Naruto considering he was just as stubborn. And human or not, he wasn't a pushover.

"You've figured something out about Danzo, haven't you?" Naruto asked. Sasuke's disposition had changed slightly, but enough that Naruto recognized it.

The Aliqui snorted. "It's nothing you need to concern yourself with."

Naruto did something he would have never normally done. Taking advantage of the attraction he knew Sasuke had for him, he slid onto his knees between Sasuke's legs and placed his hands gently on Sasuke's knees. When he made eye contact with Sasuke, he could see the glimmer of surprise followed by caution.

"I know you're not happy about this. But there's a reason it was you and me. There's a reason for us being the way we are."

Sasuke's eyes were dark, and Naruto could see him fighting his own beliefs. Naruto knew that Sasuke felt the same way, but there was too much holding him back. Pride, culture, practicality...whatever it was, it had a firm grip on him.

So Naruto gripped him harder and pressed himself closer. "Please."

"You humans are so naive. You're blind in your faith."

Naruto's face grew stern and he felt his own anger set in. "My eyes are wide open. I'm looking right at you." He wasn't the blind one.

"You don't know what you're asking for."

Naruto nodded. "I do. I know you want to fight back. I know that you don't want to risk me getting hurt. I know what you want."

Sasuke's head tilted to the side and an eyebrow rose. "You couldn't possibly know as much about me as you seem to think you do."

"I know what you want the most," Naruto said, too quickly.

Sasuke gazed at him coolly, challenging Naruto for the correct answer. Naruto melted forward until his forehead came to rest on Sasuke's.

"What do I want the most?" Sasuke asked.

"Me," Naruto answered, and he inhaled deeply before opening his eyes and staring straight into Sasuke's. "I don't even know what I'm talking about. I just know that it's true. Because it's the same for me."

Sasuke leaned forward and Naruto thought he'd close the gap between their lips. His eyes looked solemn and mellow, and giving. Instead, his palms found Naruto's chest and he pushed him backwards, once again putting space between them, rebuilding some semblance of a wall.

"We can't stay here," Sasuke stated. "We need to find a safer place."

Naruto felt dejected, but only temporarily. Sasuke was right, after all. They were too easily found here, and if they were caught, it would make things more difficult.

"Are we going to talk to the council?"

Sasuke stood up and he looked graceful as he pulled himself to his feet. "No."

Naruto frowned. "I'm not going with you then."

Sasuke looked agitated as he grabbed Naruto's wrist and yanked him up roughly, clearly not in the mood to argue. "Don't be a child."

Naruto fought against his grip and pulled himself away. "I'm not the child. _I'm_ taking responsibility."

"Responsibility for what? This isn't your fault. You're willing to die for something you had no control over?" Sasuke wasn't yelling, but his tone was icy. He was talking down to Naruto, pulling up his defenses once again. Naruto didn't mind, because he wasn't going to let Sasuke be his own worst enemy.

"You and I shouldn't have to run," Naruto resolved, his voice beginning to sound cracked again. He stepped backwards when Sasuke edged towards him, looking infuriated.

"You're coming with me," Sasuke said absolutely, not even bothering to argue.

"I'm not!" Naruto shook his head, beginning to feel defensive himself. Why were his arguments invalid? He had every right to want a say in his future. Why didn't Sasuke want to fight? Why was it okay for him to just run away? Naruto frowned and his eyes narrowed. "Are you a girl or something?"

Sasuke looked as much confused as he was irate. "Why are you asking me something like that?"

Naruto snorted. "I'm just trying to figure out which one of us has balls."

Sasuke punched him, and Naruto tasted the metallic tang of blood in his mouth and he knew that he had probably overstepped some invisible line. He stumbled back against the rack of assorted chips beside him and caught himself as he wiped blood from his swollen lip. Sasuke was enraged, and Naruto didn't care.

"I'm just as strong as you are," Naruto charged for Sasuke and focused what energy he could to his fist. Sasuke merely held out a hand to intercept the blow, but it was much more powerful than he had expected, and he found himself tumbling backwards unceremoniously against a stack of bottled water cases.

When he looked at Naruto, the blond tried not to look smug.

The problem was that Sasuke didn't respect him. In Sasuke's eyes, Naruto wasn't an equal. His opinions would always be 'human', and not valued. It was like being bullied, Naruto thought. They'd keep picking on you until you scared them enough to leave you alone.

Naruto had to prove himself.

Sasuke was fast; unbelievably fast. In the recesses of Naruto's mind, he understood how to compete against it. He needed to focus his energy to his feet, and let his instinct guide him the rest of the way. He missed a few hits and caught the fourth with the side of his stomach. He winced but caught Sasuke's arm in his fingers, pulling Sasuke down to the floor with him. They wrangled for a few minutes, Sasuke moving slower now that he was nearly pinned down.

Naruto felt arrogant, and in that tiny moment, Sasuke's momentum flared and he flipped Naruto over, flat on his back and pressed to the floor. Naruto huffed and struggled, but Sasuke told him to stop.

When Naruto looked up to his face, he saw amusement. And not the condescending kind. Sasuke was almost smiling. As if he was genuinely entertained. "Did my brother teach you that, too?"

Naruto didn't answer. They were close and in a position that could have, in a different time and place, been considered intimate. Sasuke seemed to realize the same thing, and he loosened his grip onNaruto's arms and sat backwards.

"Come on. Let's find a safer place to hide and we can decide what to do from there." He stood up, and Naruto got to his feet behind him.

"Does this mean we're going to the council?"

Sasuke looked over his shoulder, still a fraction away from smiling. "It means that if you have an idea that might work, I'll consider it."

Naruto decided that was good enough for him, and followed Sasuke outside. The rain hadn't stopped but it was coming down much lighter, and in the distance, color flooded the darkened city. Without having expected it, a new day had come.

* * *

**a/n:** I have some friends in town this week so I won't be able to write util next weekend. Lo siento, but I hope this chapter makes up for it with the Sasuke-ness.


	15. Chapter 13

**Slumberland**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle

**Comments:** Sorry for the delay. I finished this few weeks ago but my poor beta is super busy and we should all send her hugs, lol. Thank you for your patience. One chapter left!

* * *

**Chapter 13:**

Getting into the convention center wasn't a problem. The mass of Danzo's followers had moved out to the streets, and as Kiba, Konohamaru and Neji snuck in through the back door, they weren't noticed at all.

It was finding their way around once they had gotten inside that proved to be a challenge.

It was obvious that a speech had been given, because a small stage had been set up with towering curtains as a backdrop. It covered the entire width of the room, and as Kiba and Konohamaru poked their heads inside every conference door on the first level, they began to wonder if Naruto and Gaara had ended up in this place to begin with.

Kiba called out Naruto's name. The building answered with silence.

Konohamaru came to stand in front of the stage, his eyes attentive as he followed it's height up as high as he could before he got a crick in his neck.

"Hey Kiba, what's on the other side of this?"

The older man approached him, Neji following behind, looking alert.

"The uh…big conference rooms. The ballrooms, right?"

The look on Konohamaru's face told Kiba that he had been thinking the same thing. He crouched down and pulled up the skirt of the stage, peering underneath. "We can probably get to the other side if we go under here," he guessed, assuming that they didn't really want to go outside again in order to walk around.

Kiba nodded and knelt down, motioning for Neji to follow. The Aliqui looked completely distraught by the idea, and so Kiba shrugged and continued on without him. As soon as Kiba and Konohamaru emerged from the other side, the boarded backboard of the stage seemed to explode, and Neji stepped through wantonly.

"Or you could do that," Kiba rolled his eyes, patting dust clouds from his arms. Konohamaru's eyes were wide before something caught his attention.

"Whoa, look at that," he mumbled, and Kiba looked to see what was so interesting. It was one of the ballrooms, and its walls had collapsed in on themselves, or at least that's how it would have seemed. The three knew to suspect something much more sinister as a cause.

Kiba was the first to go running towards it, his immediate thoughts on Naruto. His gut hurt thinking that his friend could be trapped in there, and when he climbed over a crumbling section of drywall, his attention snapped to a patch of red in the white-dusted area.

"What is it?" Konohamaru asked as he stumbled behind Kiba in an attempt to keep his footing and follow.

"Gaara," Kiba nearly murmured, and he slid down a pile of debris towards their friend. He settled his hand around Gaara's wrist and found a pulse, and sighed with relief.

"Bring him out here," Konohamaru demanded from the gap, and Kiba frowned.

"You're not supposed to move people when they might have broken bones…" he answered dully and Konohamaru, too far away to smack him on the head, threw a pebble at him instead.

"He's Aliqui, dude! He's fine, now bring him out here!"

Kiba sighed. Konohamaru was probably right. He lifted Gaara up as the teenager yelled something else to him.

"Hey, do you see Naruto?"

Breathing tersely through supporting Gaara's weight and struggling to maintain his balance, Kiba glanced around.

There was no sign of their friend.

And he didn't see Danzo either.

He slowly made his way back out to the landing beyond the conference room, and lay Gaara down. "He must have been hurt pretty badly," Kiba stated, considering that Gaara hadn't even grunted or groaned from being moved around.

Neji was doing some investigating of his own before he started back towards them, and Kiba and Konohamaru did one last look through the destroyed conference room before deciding that Naruto really _had_ disappeared.

"Where do think he is?" Kiba glanced around the landing absently while Konohamaru sat next to Gaara's unconscious form. Neji looked around as though he understood what Kiba was asking, but Kiba knew that wasn't the case.

Because Danzo was missing too, it seemed as though there were only two possible conclusions, one more likely than the other. The first was that Naruto had escaped somehow, and the second, the one they more or less were tempted to believe, was that Danzo had made off with Naruto.

"Damnit," Kiba cursed and thumped his fist against the last standing wall in the small space. "I _knew_ something like this would happen. I knew it. And that stupid idiot—"

"Don't call Naruto stupid," Konohamaru countered, frustration audible in his voice. "He had more guts than either of us, coming out here."

Kiba turned so that he could return the teenager's comment with a sour look. "It wasn't bravery that brought him out here, it was stupidity. And I'm pissed because the bastard didn't even leave us a clue on where he might be."

Konohamaru didn't reply; instead, he sighed. Considering Gaara was alive, he had high hopes that Naruto hadn't been killed, and that he wasn't going to be until Danzo got what he wanted from him. That alone gave he and Kiba time, and he wasn't going to waste it.

"I don't think Gaara has a concussion or anything," Konohamaru commented absently while running his hands through the redhead's hair. Kiba gave him a skeptical look.

"He has to. He's out cold."

Konohamaru shrugged and continued to search for the injury responsible for that fact. His efforts turned no results. "I'm telling you, he doesn't have a concussion. I mean, there's blood around his nose but it's not broken…but that's it."

Kiba stalked over to the younger boy and crouched down beside him, moving Gaara's head so that they were facing each other. He pried open an eye and watched it dilate, the only other piece of first aid he could think of in terms of head injuries.

"I have no idea," Kiba shook his head. There was concern hidden behind his dismissive attitude, hidden by the lack of knowledge concerning what to do in this type of situation.

Surprisingly enough, Neji approached them, looking more or less helpful. He knelt down and placed his palm flat across Gaara's forehead, as if weighing a fever. He shook his head irritably and stood up, yanking Gaara up as though he weighed nothing at all.

Kiba and Konohamaru stumbled upright, and Kiba grew defensive. "Hey, what're you doing with him?"

Neji merely slung the unconscious man over his shoulder and turned towards where they had entered, seeming intent to leave the premise. He started forward and Kiba and Konohamaru jogged to catch up, casting baffled glances at each other.

"Maybe he wants to head back to the apartment?" Casting a skeptical glance towards Kiba, Konohamaru watched as Gaara remained unmoving, and Neji seemed to be taking the lead in their small group.

They headed back the way they had come. It was easier to get through the crowds this time, because they had thickened to such an extent that it was difficult to place friend or foe. For the most part there was a decent amount of yelling, but it didn't seem like any Aliqui had joined the potential battle in the streets. So the people waited, impatiently, for the war that Danzo had promised them.

The underground subway station was, as always, vacant. Or so Kiba had thought until a figured unmasked itself from the shadows, slender arms crossed over a well endowed chest, clothed in a white skintight material. The Aliqui woman's hair fell like a sheet on both sides of her face, and her eyes were an unearthly shade of amethyst.

"Neji," she said, and that was the only word that Kiba or Konohamaru could make out. The rest of what she had to say was articulated beautifully in the language neither of them knew, and as she and Neji began to speak back and forth, Kiba merely crept towards the tracks, sneaking a peak down a darkened tunnel in hopes of seeing the transit.

He couldn't hear it, so he stole a glance at the digital watch on his wrist. They had roughly ten minutes.

"She's gorgeous," Konohamaru had come to stand beside Kiba and his eyes ran laps over the Aliqui woman's figure, right before Kiba snapped fingers in front of his face.

"She's Aliqui," he retorted, not entirely denying the fact that she was pretty—in a very abstract way. The Aliqui were like that, though. Most of their features were human, but the few that weren't were distracting and ethereal. Looking at perfection just reminded Kiba of his faults.

Snorting, the teenager continued to watch her as the two Aliqui spoke. After a minute, he frowned. "You know how Gaara explained everything…about one human for one Aliqui?"

Kiba stared at him blankly. "If you tell me that you've fallen for that woman, I'm going to push you in front of this train. Please try and remember the _last_ time a friend of ours fell for one of them, and then at least try to link that with our current situation."

"Chill out," Konohamaru shushed him, waving the comment off. "That's not what I mean. I just meant to say that…well, if that were the case, there are a _lot_ of humans. And it….just doesn't seem like there are as many Aliqui."

Kiba thought about this for a second. "Well, they live on space ships, so maybe there are more out there we don't know about? Or maybe…not many of them have survived. I mean, they're just like us. Do you think we'd survive centuries living in flying saucers?"

Konohamaru considered this, and then turned his attention back to the Aliqui woman. "I don't know."

From the distance, metal grinded against metal. Kiba and Konohamaru stepped back, allowing the subway to come hurdling through, only to groan to a halt in front of them. The small group entered quietly, and the short trip back to Itachi's neighborhood was filled with silence.

* * *

The 'safer place' that Sasuke had in mind was an empty office in the garage of an abandoned vehicle repair shop, which hadn't turned out to be very far away. There were still a few cars ascended on the racks, hooked up to machines that did a majority of the mechanical work required for maintenancing. The room reeked of oil and gasoline, and Naruto tip-toed over a puddle of shimmery brown liquid before slumping into a tattered work chair.

Sasuke seated himself across from Naruto, wincing as he did so. He rubbed his nose somewhat delicately, and Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"What, you don't like the smell?" Sarcasm accompanied his remark. Despite the fact Naruto was somewhat used to the odors that followed vehicles around the city, the fumes that lingered in the shop still bit at his nose.

"The smell is the reason we're hiding here," Sasuke explained, though he didn't go into further detail. Naruto assumed that the Aliqui's sense of smell was probably better than a human's. So far, all of Sasuke's senses had proven better than Naruto's.

Naruto leaned back into his chair and folded his arms across his chest. "So, tell me what you know about Danzo."

Sasuke looked up, half surprised and half irritated. "You don't have much patience."

"No time for it," Naruto plucked a pen from the table and clicked it a few times. "I'm pretty stubborn too. So come on, let's make a plan that you agree with. One that _doesn't_ involve me hiding for the rest of my life."

Sasuke stared at Naruto's thumb as it repeatedly clicked the pen and frowned. "Stop that. I don't know much of anything about Danzo."

"Okay," Naruto tried for a different approach, and set the pen down. "Then tell me about Madara."

Sasuke's eyes widened but only for a fraction of a second. As soon as the surprise had appeared on his face it vanished, but not before Naruto had seen the change.

"Come on," Naruto groaned.

Sasuke seemed to consider what exactly he wanted to say. "Madara was…a member of the council. An important one."

"But didn't he come here? Danzo said Madara was his father," Naruto remembered.

Sasuke nodded. "The council demanded that he return home after they discovered he had a child with a human woman. I remember hearing this story when I was younger. They also required that he bring the woman back with him."

A chill ran the length of Naruto's spine and he sat for a minute, weighing the requests of the council. "Did they want to kill her and the baby?"

Sasuke sat back into his own chair and nodded. "Most likely. But Madara found a loophole in their system. The council had told him to return with the woman, not their child, so they left the baby behind. When they arrived they faced the council and were terminated."

Naruto felt his stomach drop. "But…why?"

Sasuke shrugged. "It's the way of our people. Sharing what we are is a crime. To you, I am not supposed to exist."

Piecing through what he knew about Aliqui history, Naruto shook his head. "But that doesn't make sense. Your clan came back later, right? And that's when the council sent the Hyuuga clan after them. So…why did the Uchiha come back, knowing they'd be killed if they were found out?"

Sasuke smiled, but the expression was sad. "The same reason you want to wage a war with the council, knowing that your fate will be the same."

Naruto grimaced, accepting the parallel. "To do what's right?"

"Too romantic. When it comes down to it, we are nothing but instinctual. Aside from food and air, the only other thing we crave is freedom. My family wanted the freedom to find what was here for them on Earth. You want the freedom to keep what you've found. It is all the same."

Naruto thought about it and it made sense. "But then, you must want freedom too. I'm not dragging you into a war you don't want to fight."

"There is no freedom in death."

Naruto's expression soured. "You're convinced you're going to die if you go against the council."

Sasuke looked up and the two met eyes. "My entire clan is dead because they went against the council."

Naruto couldn't argue with that. Instead, he backtracked, allowing for a few minutes of silence.

"Is Danzo dead?" he asked, trying to remember.

Sasuke shook his head, and looked like he regretted the fact he hadn't killed the other man. Naruto could understand.

"What do you think his plan is?" Naruto asked cautiously, thinking that Sasuke might have an idea.

Looking thoughtful, Sasuke answered. "To kill the council members. And I don't 'think' that will be his plan, I know it. It was all inside of your head."

Naruto opened his mouth, and then closed it. What he wanted to say was a huge assumption, and when he finally found the confidence to ask it, he heard his voice tinge with scrutiny.

"Is that why you don't want to go up there? Are you waiting for him to kill the council for you?"

Sasuke's face contorted with outrage and Naruto knew that he had said he wrong thing. He quickly held up his hands in defense and attempted to explain himself. "I mean, I'd be pretty mad at them if I were you. They ordered your family to be…well, hunted down."

Sasuke was practically seething. "What they did was practical. The council needed to preserve our existence. My clan was selfish and disregarded the laws—"

"Even if the Uchiha did something wrong, it's okay to be angry about their fate," Naruto interrupted. "I'm trying to figure out what you want. What you _really_ want."

Sasuke calmed down slightly, and Naruto frowned. He couldn't imagine living a life where you had to validate the termination of your family and people through practicality. He shook his head, realizing that he and Sasuke were much more different than he thought.

Sasuke slid his fingers over the coarse exterior of the desk between them and sighed. "The right thing to do is to stop Danzo from exterminating the council, regardless of the fact he is Madara's son, and despite what they've done to my family. If the council members are killed, the Aliqui will wage a war on Earth."

Naruto smiled and plucked a notepad from the desk and scribbled down what Sasuke had said.

"What are you smiling about?" Sasuke looked irked.

Naruto pointed to what he had written with his pen. "Progress," he grinned. "You and I are making progress."

* * *

When Kiba and Konohamaru arrived with Neji, an unconscious Gaara, and a mysterious Aliqui woman, Kakashi merely stepped aside to allow them all inside the apartment. He glanced between all of them, eyes resting on the Aliqui woman for the briefest of moments before he spoke. "Hello Hinata."

The woman nodded to him and Kiba and Konohamaru exchanged curious glances at the fact that the two knew each other. Kakashi worriedly focused his attention on Gaara, still unconscious over Neji's shoulder.

"What happened?" He asked Neji, the undertone of his comment suggesting that Neji may have had something to do with Gaara's condition. The Aliqui's eyes narrowed as he pushed the unconscious boy at Kakashi, looking offended.

"How would I know?"

Kakashi moved Gaara to the couch and placed a hand on the younger man's forehead. He checked for a pulse before turning back towards Neji. "Did Danzo do this?"

Neji shrugged with irritation and Hinata answered for him. "Our people cannot affect the mind. It was most likely the human named Danzo. Capturing him has become top priority."

Kakashi stood up from his crouched position beside Gaara and observed the woman carefully. "Is he what you're here for? Wait, where is Naruto?"

Kakashi glanced from a stone-faced Neji to Kiba, who looked like he understood merely because Naruto's name was mentioned in the sentence, despite the sentence being in another language.

"Only Gaara was there. Naruto and Danzo were already gone," Kiba answered. "Where they went, we have no idea."

Konohamaru nodded in agreement before sitting on a small spare piece of the couch that Gaara wasn't occupying. He took a deep breath and frowned. "I hope Naruto's okay."

Kakashi didn't reply to Konohamaru, but instead turned to Neji. "Naruto was missing?"

Neji responded slowly. "As was Danzo, if he was even there to begin with."

Kakashi cursed. This was exactly what they _hadn't_ wanted to happen. Naruto was new to his abilities, and Gaara had grown up with them. Seeing Gaara the way he was made Kakashi worry more so for Naruto's sake.

"Can you heal him?" Kakashi asked Neji kindly. The Aliqui visibly relaxed, and it seemed as though the pent up irritation he had acquired was fading.

Hinata shook her head and once again, answered for Neji. "The Hyuuga's abilities are different. It would take an Uchiha to undo whatever has been done to that boy—"

"Is he Aliqui?" Neji interrupted, glancing from Gaara to Kakashi skeptically. Kakashi was about to answer when the door to Itachi's bedroom creaked open and Itachi stalked out.

"Honestly. Do you normally pitch fits when other people are napping?" He disappeared into the kitchen and could be heard rummaging through the refrigerator, and when he emerged, he was clutching a bottle of water. "Oh, and we have visitors. How nice."

Sarcasm seeped from his tone and he stared blankly at Kakashi, as if half expecting an explanation. Instead, Hinata and Neji became on guard and Kiba and Konohamaru laughed, Itachi having spoken in English.

"Naruto and Danzo are missing," Kakashi said quickly. "And Gaara—"

"Is taking a nap on my couch," Itachi snorted. "At least one of us is getting some shut-eye before the apocalypse."

Kiba frowned and Konohamaru raised an eyebrow. "He's unconscious, Itachi."

Itachi looked unphased. When he realized that Kakashi and the other two boys were watching him, he raised an eyebrow. "Am I supposed to remedy that?"

In Aliqui, Kakashi decided to clarify something with Hinata and Neji. "An Uchiha can heal Gaara?"

The two Hyuugas nodded.

Itachi frowned. "Danzo was able to incapacitate his mind?" He asked the question in Aliqui, looking wary. When no one answered, it was clear that they were all assuming the same thing.

"Is it like what you taught Naruto?" Kakashi asked, curious. Itachi set his water down and walked over to Gaara, placing his forefinger on the bridge of Gaara's nose. He closed his eyes and after a second he pulled back.

Turning to Kakashi, he nodded, and responded in Aliqui so that the others would understand as well. "Yes. Only the other way around. This kid's mind is full of Madara's thoughts now."

"What type of thoughts?" Hinata asked.

"Any. Hundreds. Thousands. As many as it takes to burden a human brain enough to make them comatose."

"Thoughts about his intentions?" Neji questioned.

"Probably," Itachi shrugged. He plucked his bottled water from the table and drank a bit. Kiba and Konohamaru focused their attention on the sudden tension in the room, and Kakashi seemed to be one edge, awaiting Neji's next comment.

"If that's the case, I seems fitting that he be taken to the council for an interrogation."

Itachi laughed, a completely different reaction than was Kakashi's, who narrowed his eyes and stepped in front of Gaara, as if to protect him. "You're not taking him anywhere."

Neji pursed his lips, surprised by the defiance, and Itachi laughed louder. After a short few seconds he stopped and took a deep breath. "Now matter how much I would _love_ to see the council interrogate an unconscious human, I'm going to have to side with Kakashi on this one. The kid is human. Leave him alone."

Even Kiba realized that whatever they were debating involved Gaara, and so he stood up next to Kakashi, prepared for whatever might be needed of him. Konohamaru stayed by Gaara's side, looking unsure of what was going on.

"There are still a few Uchiha left, and that's plenty to get the information out of him. And besides, we still have Sasuke. He'll do what the council asks of him because unlike you, he isn't a traitor." Neji looked Itachi up-and-down with disgust before stepping forward, towards the couch.

Itachi blocked his path. "My brother isn't a pawn of the council."

Hinata's expression was sad as Neji replied. "Sasuke's an Uchiha. He'll always remain a tool."

Itachi moved and Neji flinched, as if half expecting the older Uchiha to attack him. Instead, Itachi merely turned around to face Kakashi, hatred and loathing the only thing visible on his features.

"I'll fight with you," Kakashi volunteered, in English. Itachi glanced over to Gaara and his features relaxed slightly.

"No. I taught Naruto how to gather information. I'll do the same with Gaara. That way, I'll have the information that they want, and not him."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow, thinking that the plan sounded a great deal more chivalrous than anything he would have ever expected from Itachi. The Uchiha seemed to notice and snorted.

"I don't really give a damn about the kid on my couch. My brother, however, is a different story," Itachi ground out. "And besides. I've been thinking for a while that it's about time I paid the council a visit."

Kakashi watched as Itachi placed a finger against Gaara's forehead and pulled all of the thoughts from his mind, as though it were some menial task. In a few minutes he was finished, and Gaara was stirring to awareness.

"Gaara!" Konohamaru shifted so that Gaara could move more freely, and Kiba watched quietly as Itachi turned towards Neji and Hinata. He pointed to his head.

"Now that _I've_ got the information that you need, I suppose we should be leaving?"

The two Hyuuga exchanged glances and Neji smirked, rather than look sour, and motioned towards the door. "Perfect. The council's been looking for a way to off you for a while."

Itachi didn't reply, but Kakashi could see the response in his eyes; that Itachi had been looking for a way to off them as well.

* * *

"Obviously, there isn't any way for me to make it to the council without being seen," Naruto agreed with Sasuke's defense, which always seemed to lead to some version of 'you're too colorful'. Naruto's language was to colorful, his attire was too colorful, and even he things he couldn't really do anything about, like his tanned skin and lighter-colored hair, was too much.

"But," Naruto continued, "despite the fact I agree with you about that, I am not letting you go up there alone."

Sasuke looked irritated but gave in easily enough. For Naruto, it was nice to know he could wear his counterpart down so easily. They were both pretty stubborn, but Naruto was worse.

"So our plan is to take care of Danzo before he reaches the council, and then get the hell out?"

Sasuke shifted. "Yes. And when word of his death reaches the council, they will be more willing to make peace with your human politicians."

"And then we ask for them to invade nicely." Naruto frowned at how ridiculous that sounded, but there was truth behind it. The Aliqui had come for Danzo, but had no intentions of leaving. It was all he and Sasuke could do to rid the council of Danzo in order to make compromising with them in the future easier. Naruto wondered at the complexity of the situation. "You know your people better than me. Should humans fear an invasion?"

Sasuke sighed. "Humans aren't ready for an invasion."

Pausing from jotting down all that they were saying, Naruto sighed. "Is anyone ever _ready_ for an invasion?"

"No. Of course not. But your militaries are out of control. Because they would not compromise, the only option for Aliqui is to take by force."

Naruto frowned, a small realization sweeping over him. His word wouldn't be enough to save anyone, probably not even himself, and definitely not Sasuke if things went sour with their plan. He trusted Sasuke's decisions, and had to help where he could.

"There's nothing I can do about the invasion. I'm accepting that. So let's stop Danzo."

Sasuke looked surprised that Naruto was giving him some rope to work with, and nodded. "I'll need to teach you the layout of the ship. I'll only teach you this if you promise to act on my instruction."

Naruto nodded and Sasuke started to explain what he knew of the ship, which Naruto learned was called the Procul. Latin had taught Naruto that word, and he was sad when considering it, seeing as the ship and it's people really were 'far' from anything. He listened as Sasuke told him of the lower levels, the places the castro were, and the Aliqui who were not of Hyuuga decent. The middle levels kept the council elite, as well as the infirmary, and the upper levels supplied housing for the Hyuuga as well as those of the crew that operated the steadfast ship.

"The best place to enter is from the underside of the ship, as you have seen before. But it's not easy, and so I think that Danzo may choose a safer route," Sasuke supplanted, and Naruto was still trying to remember all he had been told. And idea struck him.

"Danzo's a military leader. He's spent the majority of his life capturing Aliqui so I have a feeling that he knows what he is doing. If the best entrance for him is the bottom of the Procul, then that's where he'll go."

Sasuke considered this skeptically, and then shrugged. "This may be true. It won't be easy for us to follow him if he chooses to enter from the bottom, though."

Naruto remembered when he had been on board the ship, and how immaculate everything had seemed. It certainly hadn't seemed like a dangerous place, or where castros were kept. Sasuke seemed to read his thoughts.

"Before, we were in one of the lower docking rooms. The rest of the ship is either quite similar, or very different. Beyond that room is where the castros work, constructing and maintaining supplies for the ship. It isn't a clean place," Sasuke's nose cinched and for a split second he looked angered. "Being a castro is not a good thing."

Naruto nodded, tucking that information away for when the time came to think about what it meant. "Why will it be difficult for us to get through?"

"Because you're human," Sasuke said simply. "Think about why they are castro."

Naruto considered this, and remembered. A castro was an Aliqui that had fallen from sanity because it had lost, by some fate or circumstance, it's human counterpart. He frowned.

"So, they'll be reminded of their human and hate me?"

Sasuke snorted. "They'll recognize your human scent and kill you."

Naruto once again remembered the first castro he had encountered; the one Sasuke had saved him from. He sank back into his chair.

"So how will we get through?"

"Quickly," Sasuke answered. "We can't get stuck there. If we cause too much chaos, we'll be discovered and if we're found out before we kill Danzo—"

"It will look really suspicious," Naruto concluded. "Like we were making a distraction for him or something. Okay, after the lower levels, where to?"

There was a glint of irritation at Naruto's impatience, but Sasuke didn't scold him for it. Instead, he just answered the question as well as he could. "We'll visit a friend of mine."

"You have friends?"

This comment earned Naruto a glare, and he hissed. "I just meant that because you're an Uchiha—"

"I know what you were implying," Sasuke stated, and shook his head. "I have a friend. She will help us. She is a doctor of sorts."

The 'of sorts' made Naruto suspicious, but he decided he didn't want to ask. "Alright. And then we take out Danzo."

Sasuke nodded. "And then we disappear."

Naruto joined Sasuke in their nodding, seeing as to how they had a plan, and a decent one at that. Or decent enough, considering there were only two of them and that their goal, in some roundabout way, was to save the world.

"So, when do we leave?"

Sasuke glanced outside. "After the sun sets. The Aliqui will be out and the ship won't be s well guarded. We'll have a better chance of not being sighted."

Naruto nodded, but Sasuke didn't trust the look on his face. "Until then," the Aliqui stated, "we keep reviewing the plan, and I'll teach you what you need to know about the ship."

Glancing at the clock, Naruto sighed. He hoped the few hours left before sunset would provide enough time.


	16. Chapter 14

**Slumberland**

**Author:** Ladelle

**Comments:** The end has come. I wish I had finished other stories before this one, but I'm happy to see something that was never going to be anything more than a one shot have a final chapter. Thank you for all of my readers and friends in the community, for all of the support and for the two amazing awards Slumberland managed to earn through the SasuNaru Fanfiction Awards community. I am incredibly grateful, always, to be able to share my ideas with the Naruto fandom and to receive such love in return. I will continue to work harder to put my ideas out there, and I will always be extremely happy to move forward with all of your support.

* * *

**Slumberland IX**

Gaara shifted into awareness and the sound of him sitting up was enough to draw forth everyone's attention. Despite looking vaguely confused, he didn't seem as dazed as he should have been after the mental warfare he had experienced. He pinched his nose as if to dispel a headache, and before he could ask any questions, Konohamaru was crouched beside him with a glass of water.

Taking it with a less than steady hand, Gaara looked around. "Where…" His eyes widened when he realized that the person he was looking for wasn't present. Kakashi was seated at the dining room table, the door open just enough so that he could peer back through to gage any activity in the family room. He looked grim, but his eyes held relief at seeing Gaara wake. Kiba had come to stand behind Konohamaru, and looked sympathetic.

"You okay?"

"Where's Naruto?" Gaara demanded, and the tone of his voice brought Kakashi to his feet and into the family room. Konohamaru shrugged with a hint of agitation, and Kiba crossed his arms over his chest.

"We were hoping maybe you knew that," Kiba frowned, and then he shook his head. "Is your head feeling alright?"

"My head feels fine," Gaara replied briskly, and he glared at Kakashi. "Did…Danzo captured Naruto?"

Kakashi nodded and took a deep breath. "We're assuming that's what happened, yes."

Gaara handed his glass of water back to Konohamaru, having had none of it to drink. It overflowed from the quick movement and the teenager struggled to keep it upright, leaning forward as Gaara stood up.

"Was it a dream that Itachi left with two Aliqui?" His eyes were narrowed and in answer to his question, Konohamaru and Kiba exchanged skeptical glances.

Stepping forward, Kakashi seemed to be putting the pieces together inside of his head. "Itachi gave you some of his thoughts, it seems. Before he left, he said that Danzo had forced a lot of thoughts into your mind; he took them so the Hyuuga wouldn't have to take you."

Gaara's disposition calmed, but only for a moment. "I'm not sure what he took, because there are still a lot of Danzo's thoughts in my mind."

Kakashi seemed surprised by this, but it was Kiba who spoke first. "Like, what kind of thoughts?"

Konohamaru looked anxious and hopeful at the same time.

As if trying to decide which thought to convey, Gaara looked around the apartment impatiently. "Random things. Pictures of what I assume to be the council, as he remembers them, various thoughts about his brother, that building…what's it called? The Marquis? And…the layout of the ship."

A collective gasp sounded. Kakashi sighed. "It looks like there was something he wanted us to do for him."

Kiba opened his mouth only to close it, lost in thought. Konohamaru was thinking to himself as well, and finally, Gaara snorted. "It's nothing that intricate. The feelings he left with me, along with the images, all lead towards one thing: that Aliqui brother of his."

Stepping backward so that he could lean against a wall, Kakashi frowned. "Protect him from the council? I wish I knew what the hell was going on up there." He shot a disdainful look out the window at the hovering craft in the sky.

Gaara intertwined his fingers and leaned forward, narrowing his eyes as he appeared to probe his own thoughts. "There's one memory, but it's not very clear. Before I…went unconscious—" he looked shamed to admit it, "—there was something else, no, _someone_ else there. I only heard the person; I didn't see them. Whether they worked for Danzo or not…"

"Someone else?" Kiba threw his hands in the air. "It figures that Danzo would have some sort of sidekick. Ugh, how lame." He sank down to the floor and pulled his knees to his chest, a pout drawing in his lips.

Kakashi pushed off the wall and paced for a minute, and after soothing the stubble on his chin while pondering something internally, he stopped.

"I'm going to guess, though it may be naïve, that the person you heard was Sasuke. You said you heard a voice, but didn't see a face…I'm thinking that Itachi recognized it while he was in your head. And if that's the case—"

"Danzo doesn't have Naruto." Kiba's eyes glistened.

Konohamaru's jaw dropped a little. "Wait, if Itachi's left us instructions to protect his brother, and those instructions involve the elders and the ship—"

Kakashi nodded, and Konohamaru swallowed.

"What?" Kiba glanced between them, and Gaara rose to his feet, shakily, but with determination.

"It means that Itachi thinks that Sasuke is planning a coup d'état. And if Sasuke's going for it, as something we should worry about, Naruto will probably be with him."

Digesting the information brought shock to Kiba's face. "How is that even possible? Two people can't overthrow _them_!" Another wry glance was cast outside, where the ship still floated dauntingly above the skyline. The expression on Kakashi's face hinted that he agreed, and Konohamaru was staring at his hands as though they would do something fascinating under his attention.

"I wish that bastard hadn't been allowed in my head at all, but seeing as he left more than a few thoughts, I guess I should put them all onto the table. I think that…something's wrong, or it's been wrong. Between the Hyuuga and the Uchiha, ever since that event." Since everyone in the room knew the gist of what had occurred when the Uchiha clan had been hunted down, Gaara didn't make an extra effort to remind them of which event he spoke of. "It didn't sit well with some of the other families or something. I'm not entirely sure, but the feeling in my head left by Itachi is that Sasuke won't be alone. That there are more Aliqui that want this. It's a strange feeling. I never knew there were families aside from the Uchiha and Hyuuga."

Kakashi looked out of the window once more. "There are…they just aren't as strong. But…I guess, if there's only the Hyuuga family to contend with now, since the Uchiha were wiped out…this would be the perfect time for an uprising."

Kiba snorted. "I thought the Aliqui were rational. Isn't war beyond rationality? It doesn't seem like…logic would lead them to rebel, or whatever."

Konohamaru, with the strange wisdom he often showed despite his age, shook his head. "If anything, they have more dangerous emotions than humans. To be trapped in the mind frame of logic…can you imagine? It's only a matter of time before that 'logic' leads to revolution. No one would be happy living in a cage. That's all those ships are; cages."

Following the teenager's logic, Gaara continued. "If there is an uprising being planned, there's no way the elders didn't know about it. It's probably why they formed this half-assed plan to invade. Get rid of the cage, or just make it bigger. But those feelings of resentment already exist—"

"And Sasuke and Naruto are at the center of it. Because they're the only ones strong enough to challenge the elders. Because together—" Konohamaru bridged, and the room was suddenly quiet, and for once, Kiba was able to finish the train of thought.

"Because together, they're soulmates."

Kakashi whistled at their conclusion.

"There was a time when humans had four arms, four legs, and two heads…but their power rivaled that of the gods, and so the gods had them divided into two, with the remote possibility of ever finding each other…" Gaara stated, as though he was reading it from a textbook.

"Together, they're a monster," Konohamaru pinched his lips together.

"No," Kakashi shook his head. "Together they are truth."

The conclusion drove the room to a bit of stunned silence. Gaara sifted on his heels and Konohamaru glanced up at him, seeming a bit like a mind reader when he nodded resolutely and got to his feet.

"Even if we're supposed to go to that ship and protect Sasuke and Naruto, or whatever, I don't like feeling like I owe someone something."

Kiba nodded and pushed himself up as well, and pulled his shirt down from where it had become bunched at his waist. "Yeah. Itachi may be okay with seeking out the council for his own reasons, but I'm not okay with him doing it alone. If we're all going to end up at the council in the end, I don't see why we can't do it together."

Konohamaru nodded and Gaara frowned. "Tch. We're so reckless, saving an Aliqui like him."

A hint of a smile formed on Kakashi's face and he lifted his attention towards the redhead. "He saved you to begin with. If he hadn't—"

"Exactly," Gaara interrupted. "Which is why we will pursue him first. If I need an Aliqui to sacrifice himself for my sake, whatever the reason might be, I won't be able to forgive myself."

Konohamaru glanced to Kiba and the two grinned.

"I guess this is it," Kiba sighed. "Life of semi-normalcy, meet save-the-world's-last-hope-from-certain-doom."

Konohamaru nodded. "After we get Itachi back."

Kakashi laughed, and it drew all of the attention from the room. He nodded it off as he walked towards the coat closet and tugged out all of the backpacks loaded with the younger mens' Aliqui fighting artillery.

"What's so funny?" Konohamaru asked, raising an eyebrow. He and Kiba paced to Kakashi and began to sort through the bags, withdrawing what they needed before pulling he packs over their shoulders.

Moving to hand Gaara the third and final backpack they had made days earlier for a different event, Kakashi shrugged. "Itachi will probably be upset that we have decided this. He's solitary by nature."

"Then he's as stupid as I've always thought he was," Gaara stated, but he couldn't look anyone in the eye as he said it. "You can't fight a war alone."

Kakashi paused, and then nodded. "True. Alright, we're a four man group," he said, heading towards the door. "And I'm the leader. The Hyuuga that took Itachi are named Neji and Hinata, and there are a lot of things you should know about them before anyone fights. For instance, we can't kill them."

As they stepped outside of the apartment, Kiba groaned. "Are you saying we can't like its impossible or we can't like, we're not allowed?"

They trekked through the inner hallway of the apartment and started down a side stairwell. Kakashi led them, and it was strange how well the small group trusted each other, especially considering that Kakashi was a new edition to the team the others were used to forming.

"We're not allowed. If the council continues, one of them will one day inherit a counseling position. They're like royalty, and if we kill either of them…" he left his comment ambiguous so that the other could guess just what the consequences could be. He then continued. "That, and they are my friends."

Gaara gave Kakashi a disbelieving glare. Kakashi didn't seem affected and even Kiba looked taken aback.

Kakashi took a deep breath. "I've forgiven the Hyuuga once for taking someone precious to me away. I won't forgive them again. So you kids need to stay alive, and we need to find Naruto and keep him safe too. For now, we can't kill them. We have to do everything we can do to not kill them, and not get killed ourselves."

The group nodded hastily and began whispering about plans.

* * *

When Sasuke had presumed it to be dark enough, he and Naruto left their place of hiding. They hurried through the darker parts of town, speeding in a flurry of motion towards one of the taller skyscrapers. Their plan was to do as they had done before, and climb the ladders webbed like anchors below the robust metal craft that creaked and groaned from above.

This time though, after Naruto's very practical argument, they simply rode the elevator to the top floor instead of climbing 42 stories worth of stairs. When they finally reached the rooftop, Sasuke hoisted Naruto onto his back, and in minutes they had ascended as far as they could before they were greeted with the cool exterior of the ship.

"Remember what I told you," Sasuke warned. "We can't speak in the communication rooms or we'll be overheard. And when we reach the castros, no matter what, stay close to me."

Naruto could barely hear the words as a small breeze carried Sasuke's voice away, and he found himself frowning at his partner's mothering. Sasuke knew his pride better than anyone else though, so Naruto assumed that he was just being brutally honest. The level filled with castros wasn't going to be easy to get through.

Nodding against Sasuke's back, the sliver of a door opened as it sensed movement before it, and Sasuke deftly swung them inside. He gave Naruto a sharp look as if to remind him not to say a word, and as the door slid shut behind them, Naruto nodded with annoyance.

The docking room was what he remembered, or a least all of the details that hadn't been preserved in his mind were filled in after seeing it once again. The walls were pearly white and sheathed in what looked like plexiglass, and this time, Naruto knew not to touch them.

Sasuke led them through the too-quiet room, and the fact that everything was so pristine and precise only added to the jostled feeling in Naruto's nerves. If being brave meant overcoming this feeling for the greater good of mankind, then Naruto agreed to swallow his fear.

Stopping in front of the sliding door that led further into the ship, Sasuke gave Naruto a look that bordered on irritation and confusion. He nodded the blond over to him and pointed to a panel beside the doorway, one that looked like a number pad only written in some bizarre language. It had a red light that was blinking ominously that seemed to be the source of Sasuke's concern.

Naruto opened his mouth to question what the issue was, but stopped himself when he remembered that silence was key when in the docking rooms. He supposed it made sense. He had first spoken to the Council in this same room, and no sound equipment seemed to be required.

Sasuke shook his head and typed a code into the pad regardless, but as soon as they both slipped through the opened doors and had them safely closed behind them, he was explaining.

"The ship is under lockdown. You are allowed in, but no one is allowed out. This could be because of the invasion, but my assumption is that Danzo's already screwed up, and the whole ship is on watch for a potential intruder."

Naruto cursed. "We really _can't_ get caught now."

Nodding, Sasuke forged ahead, through a vacant and sterile hallway, florescent lights beaming down onto him from above. "If we're found before Danzo and end up being tried, or put under lockdown, no one will be able to stop him."

"You really think Danzo's already come through here?" Naruto asked, glancing around. He wondered how the old man was so resourceful.

Sasuke snorted. "I smell him."

Naruto's lips curled in disgust, and then shifted to curiosity. "How can he even know as much as he does about this ship? How to get on board…where to go…where the council is…?"

Shrugging, Sasuke turned a corner, only to pause in his tracks. Naruto paused behind him. He was about to ask what was going on when he heard the sound of boots shuffling against the paneled flooring. His eyes narrowed. Naruto didn't know how much farther the castro quarters were, but even if they were only ten feet away, it was too far. Too far if there was a group of Aliqui directly in their path.

They were whispering to each other, their voices so soft that Naruto couldn't make them out. Sasuke seemed intent on deciphering the conversation as well, but was too far away to piece words together.

Naruto felt his heart hammer in his chest. He and Sasuke had to get past them. While he had prepared himself for everything he should have, he didn't want to have to fight. He wasn't afraid of it, just anxious because he felt it unnecessary. For now, at least, the Aliqui and he and Sasuke were on he same team—the one aiming to stop Danzo.

Standing incredibly still one moment, Sasuke was moving incredibly fast the next. Naruto watched as Sasuke shot around the corner, and as soon as he understood Sasuke's intentions, he was following in suit.

There were three Aliqui total, and they hadn't been expecting such an attack. Sasuke knocked two out cold and Naruto grabbed the third before he could make an attempt on Sasuke's life. Sasuke returned the favor by slamming the palm of his hand against the Aliqui's forehead, and within seconds, he was unconscious.

Naruto made a mental note to learn that mode of attack one day, after seeing its effectiveness. He hoped it hadn't caused a concussion though. Again, he felt guilty.

"It's not much farther ahead," Sasuke breathed, and he snatched Naruto's hand and pulled him over the collapsed bodies. "We need to leave before they're discovered."

Naruto didn't need to be told twice. He hurried behind Sasuke and they rushed past several doors. The hallway was so blaringly bright that Naruto found himself squinting. Whispering and the shuffling of boots echoed from down the hall, and Naruto almost cursed. How many Aliqui were wandering around?

Naruto wondered if this was how it would be until they reached their destination. They could only knock out so many Aliqui before they wouldn't be able to defend their actions against the council. Sasuke seemed to be considering this as well, and abandoning their plan, concocted a new one.

"Maybe it would be best if you had a place to hide—"

Naruto didn't like hat idea, because it left Sasuke facing this 'judgment' alone.

"You said we'd do this together."

"I didn't think they'd be making rounds," Sasuke rebutted, and he sounded genuinely deep in thought. Naruto considered what he offered.

"No. We're going together."

Sasuke smirked. "You're too stubborn for your own good."

Stepping around Sasuke in order to continue towards the voices, Naruto snorted. "I'm stubborn enough for the both of us." He sighed. "_One_ of us needs to hold the plan together."

Sasuke frowned. "My plan is more logical."

Naruto continued walking forward. "No, your plan is self serving. We're doing this together."

Footsteps started behind him and soon Sasuke was close behind Naruto. The voices grew louder until Naruto saw another corner ahead, and predicted that the group was just beyond it. They both made another attempt at listening, and this time, they managed to get out a tiny bit of what was said.

Strangely, the lockdown had nothing to do with any strangers having snuck on board. The whole first level was in an outrageous uproar somehow relating to the castros, and the ship had been locked down to insure that none of them managed to escape 'like last time'.

Naruto remembered the one he had encountered; the one Sasuke had rescued him from. He wondered how the castro at that time had escaped and wanted to ask Sasuke. Another question for another time.

Before Naruto knew it, Sasuke was motioning or him to stay put while walking forward. Naruto nearly groaned as he snatched Sasuke's coat and heatedly whispered, "You're _not_ getting caught for my sake—"

But Sasuke shushed him by placing a steady finger over his lips. Naruto watched as Sasuke rounded the corner and waited patiently, creeping up only a few feet in an attempt to over hear.

Sasuke greeted them and none of the Aliqui seemed to recognize him. He mentioned being summoned to the infirmary but lacking a specific article of clothing, and after some shuffling, Naruto presumed one of the other Aliqui had lent him his own. They had a small talk about the horrors of the day, but the conversation went so quickly that Naruto couldn't make much sense of it. Sasuke didn't say much, but the others seemed intent to talk. To rationalize.

They also were excited to discuss their descent to Earth. The ship had slowly been emptying itself as the Aliqui invaded.

Many of them disliked the situation and thought the castros would be better off dead. They were too violent and cunning, and difficult to catch. Sasuke replied that he had never had too much trouble with it quite stoically, and it led the conversation to an awkward silence. Sasuke lied and said he had heard there had been some sort of commotion at a different part of the ship, and this seemed to latch the other's attention. Naruto heard them scurrying off, and moments after, Sasuke was walking back to him with a grey bundle in his hands. When he shook the fabric free, it as revealed to be a cloak.

"Oh gee," Naruto said blandly as Sasuke handed it to him. "How did you know I wanted to be Luke Skywalker?"

Sasuke gave him a look that stated he could care less who Naruto was referring to, and after Naruto's mind followed that thought, he realized how strange it would be to wander around this toned down version of the 'Death Star' dressed in the bundle he was now clutching in his hands.

Sasuke glared at him and Naruto rolled his eyes before donning the article. "Fine. But if I find out that some random council member is my father…"

It was tight to fit and the fabric was very starchy, and unlike Naruto's memories of science fiction movies, it wasn't a free flowing garb held together by a sash. There were buckles lining the front, and Sasuke pulled a hood over his head.

"We're not going to be able to avoid the castros."

Naruto swallowed a lump in his throat. "I was afraid you were going to say that."

"Just follow me," Sasuke moved forward. He led them through a doorat the rear of the room, and Naruto remembered it from Sasuke's detailed drawing from earlier in their free time. It led to a hoisting system, something that had never existed on earth, or even Naruto's mind. It was like a moving ladder that crept upward, meant to be used in place of an elevator. Thanking the gods he wasn't afraid of heights, Naruto copied Sasuke's movements and stepped onto a ring while clutching one higher for balance.

They ascended for quite some time, enough for Naruto's hand to cramp. He didn't look down for good reason, wondering how many feet they'd gone up. The passage that the ladder traveled was dimly lit, and the further up they traveled the darker it got. Thankfully, before Naruto could no longer see Sasuke in front of him, the Aliqui stepped off with ease. Naruto stumbled over his feet in an attempt to duplicate the action, and Sasuke caught his arm before he could make any more noise.

"This is it," Sasuke pointed towards a huge steel doorway. It was not clean and futuristic like Naruto had already experienced from the ship's design, but archaic and brown, with patches of what looked like rust and scratches that Naruto hoped weren't meant from finely filed nails.

"The next latter will be in the center of the room, right?" Naruto asked cautiously, remembering another one of Sasuke's detailed drawings.

Sasuke nodded. "Stay close to me."

Naruto took a deep breath and helped Sasuke pull the door back. It weighed more than he could begin to guess. It made a horrible scream as its hinges were worked for the first time in who knew how long, as Sasuke said that the castro lived like cattle herded to the bowels of the ship, like workhorses only visited for daily rations of food, or to be assigned to new projects.

The sound of that lifestyle, when already paired with the loss castros knew, made Naruto's heart feel heavy. He took hold of Sasuke's shirt and Sasuke stepped inside.

The door slammed shut behind them. The innards of the keep where castros were kept was pitch black. Naruto felt his fist tighten around Sasuke's shirt and the familiar feel of his adrenaline kick in. His senses increased, but sadly, felt numb. The entire space felt like misery; like a cloud of unbearable energy, pressing down like an invisible hammer onto his own aura.

"Naruto, do you—"

Whatever Sasuke had planned on saying was cut off, and the shirt clutched between Naruto's fingers disappeared. Naruto gasped.

"Sasuke?"

He held his hands out in front of him like a blind man, feeling for that familiar leather jacket Sasuke always wore. His hand found something else; the feel of something incredibly smooth. He stopped walking.

"Sasuke…" he murmured, and his fingers roved the object he had found. It felt like porcelain, cool to the touch. He felt a dip in the features, a round bulge with wisps that tickled his fingers; something arched and the even softer feeling of—

"Lips," Naruto gaped and stumbled backwards as two unearthly red eyes snapped open, staring him down like a crazed animal. The castro's eyes were a bright enough shade of scarlet that he could see the feral curve of a grin on the creature's lips.

It dove for him.

Naruto spun to the side.

His back found solace against something warm and he whipped around, only to see two more fiery eyes staring at him.

"Human," one of the creatures murmured, and at once, the blackened room was filled with harsh whispers. Though he couldn't see them, Naruto realized he was surrounded.

"Sasuke!" Naruto yelled, more out of frustration than panic. A hand curled around his own and he turned to throw a power punch at a castro's face, only to pause when Sasuke's voice was warm against his neck.

"Be careful," It was as close to an apology as Sasuke was going to give.

Naruto felt something sticky on his arm.

"Are you bleeding?" His eyes widened in concern.

Sasuke ignored him and pushed Naruto forward. The castro watched him with keen eyes and Naruto felt as though they were walking on eggshells.

"He's human," a voice whispered again, louder.

"He's _mine_," Sasuke growled, and within seconds, the pitch black hold was a sea of scarlet eyes. Naruto felt his breath catch at the sight. It weighed on him.

He could feel them now, or their energy, more than he had before. The room was stuffy with their unhappiness, with their unending loneliness and long lasting lives. He felt drawn to them, like a magnet.

"They want me…" Naruto muttered, still allowing Sasuke to shove him forward.

Sasuke hissed. "They can't have you."

A castro cried. "What if he's mine?"

Another sobbed, "Could he be mine?"

A distant growl. "If he's not mine, I'll kill him."

It was then that Naruto felt it. The castros knew he wasn't any of theirs, and the tides turned towards the last castro's declaration. If they couldn't have him, nobody would.

The sea closed in.

Naruto was running for his life, and Sasuke was behind him. The room echoed with groans and growls and shrieks of anger and terror, and Naruto fell forward when something tripped him. Sasuke collapsed on top of them, and in a heap they struggled to untangle and get up. A hand clawed at Naruto's arm and yanked him up, and a sharp pain tore through his shoulder. He cried out and felt the warmth of Sasuke's body leave his as Sasuke was tugged away.

Sasuke was fighting, Naruto could hear it. Kicks here, punches there, the snapping of bones shattering from the inside a cacophony to the madness of this cellar of lost souls. The darkness was working against them, or so Naruto concluded. Shelving the pain in his arm, he closed his eyes, even as a castro drew him in close, arms wrapping around his waist and sliding up to his neck, probably to snap it.

He focused. The intuition grew. He couldn't _see_ the castro, but it was just as it was when he had fought Neji in the library so long ago. He could feel it. He pulled what energy and power he could into his hands and elbows and twisted, jamming his way out of the castro's clutch. He kept his eyes closed and fought as best he could, taking out the small group that had enveloped him.

The few surrounding the ones he had knocked out paused in their fury, confused, perhaps by his strength. Naruto took this moment to try and find Sasuke, searching with what he could of his energies to locate his soulmate in the throngs. Sasuke wasn't that far away, and Naruto ran to him.

A castro had Sasuke by the arm and Naruto slammed his fist into the creature's stomach.

"I'll kill you…" A castro said, looking vaguely confused as Naruto stood in front of Sasuke as a protector.

"Think again," Naruto growled out, and in a split second Sasuke was on his feet and tugging Naruto backwards. His stomach flew to his throat as they were lurched upward, and Naruto scrambled to grasp Sasuke as he realized they were on the second latter.

The cloud of scarlet glaring eyes turned black the higher that they climbed, and Naruto frowned, not allowing himself to relax against Sasuke during their small moment of peace. He wasn't sure if it would be their only one, but he swallowed the thought.

A pool of light bathed the both of them, and Naruto flinched as the brightness stung his eyes. The mobile latter halted as they came to arrive in a very white and pristine room, and Sasuke pushed him forward and off he contraption. Naruto watched as the hole in the floor they had come up through remained open, only the latter plugging it.

"Can't the castro come up here?"

Sasuke glared, and Naruto smacked his hand over his lips. The Aliqui rolled his eyes and shook his head. "No. They don't like the light."

Naruto nodded and peered down into the hole, wondering if he saw movement in the darkness or if his imagination was overacting. When his stomach felt queasy, he took in the room around him instead.

They had ended up in a very symmetrical space, complete with two strange cots and a variety of clean cut devices on the walls. Naruto's eyes narrowed and he felt his stomach roil with a different kind of anxiety "We're in a medical area, right?"

Sasuke had already made his way to a door opposite from Naruto and was peering out cautiously. He nodded curtly to answer, and Naruto shivered. That made him fear the devices on the walls even more.

"Wait here," Sasuke demanded, and he vanished beyond the doorway. He returned quickly, carrying a couple dark and thin looking towels. He used one to wipe the red from his hands, and tossed on to Naruto, who realized he had gotten splattered by blood as well.

Naruto tried not to look at it.

"Are you okay?" Naruto asked, and Sasuke shrugged. Unsure of what that meant, Naruto frowned. Sasuke didn't look too damaged and most of the blood he was wiping away didn't appear to be his, so Naruto decided not to worry about it.

"Are you?" Sasuke asked suddenly. Naruto nodded and continued to look around the room, a sick sensation growing in his stomach. He had the slightest tickle of a bad feeling, but couldn't place the source. "I think I was just startled," he amended.

At this admission, Sasuke frowned. "Wait here," he said again, and left the room once more. Naruto waited, and sucked in a breath when fingers raked through his hair and yanked him backwards. Gritting his teeth, Naruto twisted around, grabbing the wrist at the base of his head. It was small.

He tugged forward roughly and the grip in his hair was loosened, but not before his attacker pushed towards him, punching him hard in the gut. Naruto choked out a cough and struggled to grab the person's other hand, all before a pair of jade eyes met his own. The Aliqui girl was pretty, Naruto had to admit, and decently strong. As he snagged her free arm to control her squirming, he pushed her backwards into the wall, setting free a few metal utensils that had been hanging there. They clanked as they hit the floor and the sound seemed deafening compared to the quiet before.

"Naru—" Sasuke was back in an instant, but he didn't come to Naruto's aid. Instead, he dropped the things he had retrieved onto a side table and stalked forward, yanking Naruto back by the collar of his newly acquired jacket. Naruto took the hint and released the woman before him, but instead of seeming angry her eyes shot back and forth between Sasuke and Naruto in surprise.

"Sasuke?" She asked, and Naruto rubbed his scalp somewhat bitterly. Sasuke seemed immensely satisfied this person was here, even if 'immensely satisfied' consisted of the slightest upward curve of his normally frowning lips.

"Were you hiding here?" He asked her in return, and she shook her head, sending layers of fine strawberry colored hair towards her cheeks. Naruto gaped at the color. It was unreal. Almost white, and almost bubblegum pink; like the sun had bleached it, and her foggy emerald-colored eyes stood out like gems against the paleness of her skin.

She glanced at Naruto once more. "Is he human?"

"Yes, I'm human," Naruto stated, hoping the fact he spoke a bit of Aliqui would at least earn him a fraction of respect. It did, because suddenly she was smiling brightly.

"So _you're_—"

Sasuke pressed two fingers over her lips with a disapproving look. Naruto didn't miss the embarrassment that seemed to flood his features for the briefest of moments, and he grinned.

"Are you the friend we were going to meet? The doctor?" Naruto asked, and the girl laughed, her voice pleasant. Sasuke seemed irritated, but Naruto suddenly had a good feeling about this friend of Sasuke's. He had always had a knack for reading people.

"I'm sorry about before…the castro have been…" The woman stepped out from between them and seemed to decide against an apology. She pointed to herself. "I'm Sakura. And you speak really formally," she added, looking amused. "Is that how _he_ taught you?" she motioned towards Sasuke.

"I didn't teach him a thing," Sasuke snapped. Naruto frowned and Sakura laughed. She looked genuinely happy, despite the chaos outside.

"I wish there was time for us to chat," she spoke a bit more seriously and it drew in Sasuke and Naruto's attention. She glanced around, watching the windows carefully for any shadows that might pass by on the outside. "The council has called a meeting. The last of the Aliqui have been preparing to descend—I stayed behind in hopes of running into you. I had a feeling you'd be back," she said, her eyes meeting Sasuke's with hope.

Naruto heard a loud groan from the room beneath them, the one they had just arrived from; the one bearing the castro. He peered down into the blackened hole where the latter extruded and his eyes went wide. "I hate to break it to you, but we didn't come alone," he said in English.

* * *

Konohamaru was an expert at reading people. Or so he liked to think. He was used to watching the way they interacted with each other and the things around them. He liked being aware. When you grew up on the street, you had to be.

"I know I'm just a kid and all, but I'm telling you, we should follow them using surface streets," he voiced. The streetlights were still on, something he considered a bit of a miracle. Crowds still clung to the intersections of streets, looking less intent and more anxious than before.

After all, nothing had happened. The big invasion that most people had predicted to be like doomsday movies was nonexistent, and the night was stretching into the supremely early hours of morning. The ship creaked from above, and the only difference on land was the occasional government vehicle that would drift silently past.

"They're going to need to reach the tallest building," Kakashi said for the second time since they had left the apartment. "Which means we need to get there before them. The subway system is still the fastest way to go."

Kiba nodded as though he agreed, and Gaara stayed quiet. They were all practically jogging, knowing they had too much time to make up.

"Neji's really smart, right?" Konohamaru asked, clutching the straps of his backpack that curled over his shoulder. Kakashi nodded back to him.

"That's why we can't take the subway," Konohamaru stated a bit more forcefully. "The subway sucks. It's old and smelly despite how fast it is. Neji hated it—but he's not stupid. He probably wondered why we still used it, because it's so dirty. And then he probably figured out that it was the fastest vehicle we had."

"Your point being?" Kiba asked somewhat impatiently as they rounded the corner to the stairwell leading to the subway.

"My point being that…yeah, that something like this would happen," Konohamaru didn't need to emphasize his point as they reached the bottom of the stairs and discovered the subway, steaming and puffing and squealing against tracks that had been curled up like ribbons. Obviously not the work of a human or natural disaster.

Kakashi let out a deep breath, turned, and once again, they were all jogging. Up the stairs and to the street, down the street and through the crowds, past a military van and around a corner, and suddenly, Kiba was panting.

"Oh man, I can't run anymore," he coughed and huffed a little as his wobbly legs slowed to a halt. They had run a good distance, and their backpacks weren't making the commute easier. The tallest building nearest them, the familiar Marquis, looked like black opal rising from the earth as it caught the glints and glares of lights hat darted past.

"There," Gaara said, and Konohamaru saw his chest rising and falling rhythmically; he was catching his breath too, just not making a show of it. Konohamaru cleared his throat and swallowed a mouthful of air, and nodded.

"You sure?"

"I feel it too," Kakashi announced. "They're not on the ship yet. They're in there."

Kiba swallowed a lump in his throat and found a certain irony that things with the Aliqui were most likely going to end where they had started for him, and for Naruto too. The Marquis had never been the same after that day. Kiba couldn't take to the stairwells because visions of the dead Aliqui and Naruto's shell-shocked face always invaded his mind.

It was unbelievable how quickly some things changed.

"I get the distinct feeling that you're following me," Neji's voice was recognizable now, but Kakashi and Gaara were the only two who understood what he was saying. He stepped out from the shadows like he was a shadow himself, ready to disappear at any moment when the opportunity provided itself. His eyes were narrowed and he looked angry and betrayed. "Although I had the feeling before we left that human dwelling, too. That you had switched sides."

Kiba and Konohamaru both moved in unison, withdrawing narrow blades from their belt loops in preparation for a fight. They waited for a sign from Kakashi or Gaara, since the language barrier was enough to keep them from being reckless.

Gaara was eying the Marquis intently.

"This doesn't have to do with picking sides, Neji," Kakashi explained. "I don't want to fight you. We're friends."

Neji grit his teeth. He seemed to be biting back words of his own.

"Can you take care of him, Kakashi?" Gaara asked suddenly, in English. His eyes hadn't moved from the building. Kiba and Konohamaru glanced back and forth between them until Kakashi nodded.

"Yeah. Go and get Itachi."

Gaara glanced back over his shoulder and met eyes with Konohamaru. "Come on. Kiba," he said, glancing to his other comrade, "Stay here and help Kakashi."

Konohamaru didn't need to be told twice before he dodged forward. Gaara ran beside him, and as Neji turned to stop them, Kakashi moved so quickly to block his route that it was hardly noticeable to the human eye. Neji fumed.

"You're a traitor," Neji spat.

Kakashi frowned. "I hope you'll see it differently, in the end."

* * *

"This is impossible!" Sakura's fingers were hammering through an onslaught of digital readers, trying to override the system of ladders and doorways that led to the room they were currently in. "I've never seen castros act like this. It's unbelievable!"

Naruto found it difficult to decide whether she was excited or panicked. He decided it was probably a combination of both.

"A human's never gotten this far into the ship," Sasuke pointed out, doing what he could beside her. Together they worked to deactivate what they could, and Naruto watched as ghoulish fingers clawed their way through the doorway in the floor that the automated riser extruded from.

He grimaced. "Um, guys…"

He didn't know castro very well himself, but the situation did seem strange. For instance, there were so many red eyes gleaming from below, and so many body parts mingling as the castro struggled to climb higher to reach him, that he could hardly help but think they were hiding something.

"Guys." Naruto's voice almost broke.

His head spun.

The only thing he found himself thinking was what a fool he had been.

* * *

They broke through one of the glass entryway doors to get in.

The traction lining the bottom of Konhamaru's shoes had long since worn down, and so he practically slid across the marbled flooring, past a giant receptionist's desk towards the elevators. He slammed his palm against the service button and threw a glance over his shoulder towards the staircase.

Gaara paused behind him, asking the same question.

Which would an Aliqui take?

Konohamaru stepped back and glanced at each of the elevators, wishing they were the old fashioned kind that displayed every floor they moved to and from. They weren't and so he cursed.

"Take the stairs," Gaara dictated as an elevator door opened beside him. "If they are already at the top, you won't be able to stop them." The look in Gaara's eyes said that he wasn't sure he'd be able to do much else, but the fact he had Aliqui blood in his veins made him the better choice.

"Right," Konohamaru nodded, and he didn't wait to see Gaara disappear into the elevator before darting towards the stairwells. He paused after the first couple of steps, looking up to see how far he had to climb. He immediately regretted it.

"Go as far as you can," he told himself, placing one foot in front of the other. "Even if it is a thousand stories." Which was an exaggeration, but really, the top was no short distance.

He climbed and climbed, and didn't look back.

Kakashi was bleeding from a small cut on his forehead. Neji had been the cause of it. The two of them fighting was a sight to be seen, and Kiba felt like he was an outsider looking in, watching a movie about people with extraordinary abilities.

Every clash was like a firework of motion, and the movements in between made the world look faintly blurry as Kiba's human vision struggled to keep up with their speed. Kakashi was lucky to only have such a small cut, and Kiba wondered, faintly, if the two were _really_ fighting.

After all, was it possible to fight a friend with the intention to kill?

Were they even still friends?

Whatever was happening between Neji and Kakashi, Kiba was not involved. He was a human; he'd just get in the way. But it put him in a different position. He was able to take in his surroundings, pay attention to what was going on beyond the blurry strokes of battle before him.

When the white van eased up the street, he saw it right away. He remembered what white cans meant. He was torn between fear and apprehension at the fact the military had stumbled upon them. He turned towards where he could hear Kakashi and Neji scuffling, and called out. He didn't get a response.

He glanced back to the van. It was getting closer now. So close that it was barreled onto the curb. And then it was slowing, and soldiers were piling out.

Kiba heard someone yelling Kakashi's name, over and over and realized it was himself. The militia was rushing forward and Kiba was stumbling back, the long dagger still in his hand. He had enjoyed the feel of the hunt when he felt he had something to prove. Now the weapon in his hand felt like a weight. He only wanted to defend.

He snorted and spread his feet on the pavement, pulling himself together. If he couldn't buck up, people he cared about would die. Kakashi would probably die. Human looking or not, he military could planely see Kakashi was not with the way he held his own against Neji.

So Kakashi would defend Kiba, Konohamaru, and Gaara from Neji, and Kiba would defend Kakashi from the soldiers rushing in off the street.

That seemed pretty fair.

* * *

Cold fingers dug into Naruto's shoulder and yanked him backwards, and when his head slammed into the tiled floor behind him, he saw a sharp streak of blinding white on the back of his eyelids. He felt his teeth clank together and groaned loudly, and in what felt like hours, but was actually only a few seconds, found himself blinking back into awareness.

In front of him was black. A tall stream of black, slender and poised. Sasuke. Beside Sasuke was Sakura. Neither of them were facing Naruto; there was something in front of them that had stolen their attention.

Naruto rolled onto his stomach and his cheek felt numb against the cold floor. He tasted blood and struggled to focus his attention on what had Sasuke and Sakura so sidetracked. Looking across from them he saw boots, calves, thighs, and the massive build of one person who would haunt him forever.

"Danzo…" Naruto rasped. He remembered now, moments before. Watching the castro writhe in that hole; feeling like they were protecting something. Seeing Danzo's human arm clamber past them, parting the poor creatures like a finely toothed comb would hair.

It made sense.

Danzo was whole. Complete. It made sense that the lesser beings would obey him; that they would follow him. That they would fear him enough to obey whatever he commanded.

"You were following us," Naruto pushed himself up off the floor and wiped a smear of red from his lips. He came to stand beside Sasuke, who looked furious and resolute. Sakura was calm. Too calm.

"You knew where to go," Danzo smiled, hardly affected by a match that seemed to be three-to-one. "I knew you'd see my plan and know my intentions. And then, it just made sense that I let you two lead the way. Quite simple, really, in terms of strategy. My youngest trainees could have figured that one out."

Danzo did not look as collected as he normally was. He usually held a sense of regal composure; one that led people to either admire or fear him. Today, he looked mad. His eyes were bloodshot as if he were so overwhelmed b the moment that his self control had faded away, his inhibitions shed. His carefully starched military uniform was wrinkled and unbuttoned, and stained. Like he had been to hell and back.

"You are the son of Madara?" Sakura spoke softly, almost in disbelief. Danzo's look of genius altered to one of fury at the mention of Madara, a name he recognized clearly. It was also paired with distaste. Danzo wanted to be known for his own ambition, not the father that had abandoned him.

"I am Danzo," he replied curtly. "The only whole amongst all you filthy halves."

Sakura didn't say anything else. She didn't need to. Naruto felt what she felt, and what assumably Sasuke felt as well. Danzo's power was tremendous, and it was filling the room like water in a jug. Too much and it would overflow.

But it was too late to turn back, especially when they had reached what they wanted.

Sasuke and Naruto's goal was to stop Danzo, and here Danzo was.

"You won't get past me," Naruto bit out, and Sasuke, as usual, looked as though fear was not a word in his vocabulary.

"And if you kill him," Sasuke motioned towards Naruto, "I'll make sure there won't be anything left of your corpse. It will be like you never existed."

Fury burned in Danzo's eyes.

"I've always wanted to test my power against another Uchiha," Danzo growled at Sasuke. "And when _you're_ dead, I'll devour him. It will be like _he_ never existed." His glance towards Naruto said enough.

Naruto could feel the room boiling with power and he clenched his fists. Sasuke took off, and the fight began. Sakura looked at Naruto and her lips moved too quickly.

She had to warn the council.

Naruto nodded but his head was pounding. The pressure in the room was building, and suddenly, everything went black.

* * *

"I can't let you past me," Kiba raised the blade over his head and instinct took over. He cleaved forward, smacking the two forthcoming soldiers with the flat side of his dagger, with such a force that they went stumbling sideways only to fall onto the ground, clutching their heads.

Kiba huffed and panted, his adrenaline soaking up the majority of his doubts and worries. He watched as a group of three military men approached him, the two on the edges wearing uniforms and caps, while the one in the middle looked oddly derelict with slicked back hair tied tight into a ponytail.

"I'll fight you," Kiba growled.

The man in the middle snorted. "Tch. That's no way to talk to a general. Especially when he has a better weapon." He tapped a machine gun strung over his shoulder.

"It figures you'd shoot me rather than fight fair. The military's out of control," Kiba cursed. He remembered the fear he had felt when he had escaped and Naruto hadn't How Naruto had looked surrounded by them, dazed, hurt, and so incredibly loyal.

Kiba had the ability to be loyal like that too.

"As sad as it is to admit it, I'm too lazy to fist fight with you—"

Kiba didn't wait for him to finish. With the element of surprise on his side, he rushed forward and tacked the man down, fingers groping for the gun. They rolled around and the other two officers grabbed at Kiba's shirt, trying to yank him off. But Kiba struggled some more and managed to snatch the gun, and pushed it as hard as he could across the pavement. It skittered, and suddenly, knuckles connected with his jaw.

The general's lackeys hoisted Kiba up, and Kiba tasted the copper bitterness of blood in his mouth. He spat some of it out as he was eyed with irritation.

"General Nara, are you alright?" One of the men holding Kiba asked.

The man frowned and looked Kiba straight in the eye. "Just who are you protecting?" He asked it with a certain sincerity that Kiba found himself frowning. It was as though he was expecting an answer Kiba didn't have.

Kiba struggled against the officers' grips as his blade was wedged from his fingers. One of the officers kneed him hard in the abdomen, to which the general gave a distasteful glance. Kiba doubled over and coughed.

The officer that had knocked the wind out of him repeated the leader's question.

Kiba locked eyes with the general. "Everybody. You have to leave them alone, because I'm protecting everybody." He was wheezing.

At one glance, both men restraining Kiba released him, and took off towards the Marquis. Kiba spun to follow, but the general yanked him back.

"You'll be fighting me." He stated, and Kiba glanced back towards the two men that were slowly slipping out of sight.

"I don't have _time_," Kiba urged.

The general snorted. "We have all the time in the world."

* * *

"Okay, this was a mistake," Konohmaru dropped to his knees as he reached the 22nd floor, his heart pounding and his legs shaking. He didn't hear anything from above, so he knew Hinata and Itachi weren't in the stairwell. Aliqui or not, he would have heard _something_ by now.

He crawled to the doorway and reached up to pull it open, and from above, a loud crack echoed through the stairwell. It made Konohamaru jump to his feet. He stared up, until he realized it had come from below. There was the sound of footsteps, and when he peeked over the sifing, he saw a blur of green.

Military?

"Something tells me that isn't someone I know," he whispered to himself comically, and he slipped through the door and jogged to the elevator. When the door opened, he was greeted by the not-so-friendly face of another military officer, one holding a gun.

Koohamaru raised an eyebrow. "'Sup. You going up or down?"

His nonchalance didn't seem to work as the officer lurched forward in an attempt to grab him. Konohamaru spun to the side and copied the move, yanking the officer out of the elevator with all the strength he could summon, avoiding the end of the gun with as much precision as possible. As soon as he was inside of the elevator and the other man was stumbling to regain his balance outside, Konohamaru was punching buttons like he was desperately trying to win a video game.

"Close, close, _close_!" he yelled, and the door obeyed, slipping closed just before the crackle of a bullet was heard roaring against the outside.

Konohamaru slid to the floor and sucked in a breath. He untangled the backpack from his shoulder and pulled a flare gun from it, along with a couple of rounds he jammed in his pocket. He had a tazer, too, though he didn't know how useful that would be compared to a gun.

The door to the elevator opened, and Konohamaru stepped out, dragging his backpack behind him as he glanced around cautiously. The lobby on the highest floor was dark, and he didn't see any sign of Gaara.

His backpack got kicked underneath a desk, hidden in case anyone else decided they wanted to take advantage of Konohamaru's weapon stash. He kept what he had, and jogged forward, knowing that he needed to find his friend.

After a minute of searching the floor, Konohamaru found the small and narrow stairway that lead to the roof. He raced up it and felt a small blessing in seeing Gaara alive and well.

The Aliqui woman, Hinata, was standing in front of Itachi, guarding him, and Itachi looked bored. All three turned to face him when he arrived.

"The military's here," Konohamaru explained. "We've got to—"

It was then that Konohamaru noticed the intricate webs that seemed almost invisible, strung down from the ship and hooked to the building. It didn't take a rocket scientist to understand their purpose. And their purpose made Konohamaru's adrenaline pump faster.

"How many?" Gaara asked.

Konohamaru struggled to remember what he had said, despite the scene before him. "Two inside, at least," he said, edgily.

Itachi's expression was keen. "I didn't ask for either of you to come on my behalf."

"Yeah, well sometimes you have to do what's right," Konohamaru defended.

Itachi looked thoughtful, and Konohamaru noticed that Gaara already looked defeated.

"Go," Gaara said, his arms at his sides.

Hinata glanced over to Konohamaru before turning and Itachi followed her in suit.

"What…what are you doing?" Konohamaru asked him. He threw a glance to Gaara, wondering why they were letting Itachi go. Especially when he had saved Gaara's life.

"Why are we letting him go?"

Konohamaru looked at Gaara and found that he was looking back towards the doorway. "We need to keep the military from getting up here," he instructed.

Konohamaru nodded absently as Gaara started forward, and turned to say one last thing to Itachi. But it was too late, he was already gone.

"Don't get killed," Konohamaru said anyway, before jogging after Gaara.

* * *

Black.

Everything was black.

Only Naruto knew that he wasn't unconscious. If he paid attention closely enough he could feel his chest rising and falling with every inhalation of air. He could feel his eyes blinking open and squinting closed, but still, only black.

This was familiar.

Danzo had done this once before to Naruto, and Sasuke a short time after. It was haunting, the feeling of not being alone in your own mind. And without thoughts and memories and pictures raging their way through, there was nothing but an eerie calm.

A hand was curling around his arm in the real world. He could feel fingers, cold and calloused, wrapping around his wrist. He could feel the grip tighten and his hearbeat pump against the pressure, ba-dum, ba-dum, ba-dum…

"You don't frighten me," Naruto heard himself say, softly, as if he was testing his own voice against the trance. He wasn't afraid because he knew this game. He knew how to win.

It couldn't all be darkness. Somehow, somewhere, Danzo was in his head. Naruto just had to find him. He willed Danzo to reveal himself. Naruto felt the resistance. And in the small moment of Danzo pushing back, Naruto saw him, and grabbed at him.

Light strained his vision and Naruto rolled onto his stomach, coughing. He blinked as his eyes struggled to focus, and the boot he had seen earlier slammed into his ribs. He wasn't caught in Danzo's mind games anymore, but instead, back in the medical room. Sakura had long since left to warn the council, and Sasuke…

"Sasuke—" Naruto glanced around in hopes of finding his other half, but Danzo's heel crashed against his cheek. Naruto folded backwards with a shriek of pain. When Danzo grunted and stomped his foot down again, barely missing Naruto's face, Naruto focused the power he could to his hand and punched Danzo's calf. The older man howled and went crashing backwards, a metal table bracing his potential fall.

Naruto wiped blood from his nose, and felt his eye begin to swell. Not good. Nothing in this situation was good. Especially when he caught sight of Sasuke who was staring vapidly into dead space.

"Get out of his head!" Naruto demanded, clambering to his feet.

Danzo cackled. "Leave such an interesting mind?" His tone implied he had no intentions of doing so. "Poor Uchiha brat. But I guess it makes sense. You're the one who's good with the mind powers, right? Which means that he…well, isn't."

The way Danzo said 'mind powers' made Naruto feel like a rejected Marvel character. He had never thought about it that way though—in that he might be better at something than Sasuke. But then, Sasuke had gone into his mind to fix the damage Danzo had done…

…Sasuke could go into minds, but not necessarily defend against others invading his own. He was weak that way. Easily mislead, maybe.

"Get. Out. Of. His. Head." Naruto tried again. He could feel anger and panic pulsing through him eagerly and frantically.

All Danzo did was smile. And then he spoke. "Or what? What will you do if I don't?"

"Kill you."

This sent the older man bubbling with laughter. So much that he clutched his belly and gasped for air. "If you kill me…what do you think will happen to him?"

Naruto hadn't thought that far. If Danzo were to die whilst inside of Sasuke's head, would Sasuke just snap out of it, or would he be stuck in some sort of limbo?

Naruto hesitated, and Danzo jumped on it. "You're smart, Naruto. Well, not too smart, if you're willing to throw everything away for him and not me. And he thinks so much of you, too. All of those colors…"

Naruto grit his teeth, remembering how frustrated Sasuke had been that _he_ had seen that. And now Danzo was pilfering through Sasuke's mind like it meant nothing.

"So what?" Naruto asked. Danzo had to want something. That's how it worked. It was blackmail, the way he was holding Sasuke hostage. And Naruto wouldn't be able to snap Sasuke out of it from a distance, or without some time. He wasn't quite that accustomed to his abilities yet.

"Smart, smart, smart," Danzo reiterated. "Blood. I want your blood. So spill it." His last demand was spoken so crisply that it seemed to drop the temperature in the room.

"My blood's not going to make you stronger," Naruto stated. What Danzo believed was insanity.

Glancing at Sasuke, Danzo raised an eyebrow. "Do you think I should start with his, then? He is a purebred, after all."

"What is it that you want?" Naruto asked, schooling his expression as anger coursed through him. "What is it that you're trying to get out of all this?"

Danzo looked at him with glassy eyes and a distant expression. "I want my place," he said, shifting. "My rightful place in this world, as the only true being that exists in it. For people to follow me in my wisdom; the wisdom that only I have been gifted with."

Naruto realized why the gods split humans in two, if that story was the truth. If humanity had dwindled down to people like Danzo, there had been no other choice.

"I don't have any more patience for this," Danzo said sullenly. "Your little friend left to warn the council, so my time is running short. Either slit your wrist or take my side. There's only so much more Sasuke can take."

Naruto looked at Sasuke and felt his heart thud painfully fast. He was too pale and there were dark circles growing under his eyes, and saliva was stringing from his lips.

"Alright!" Naruto shouted. "Just…just stop. Whatever you're doing to him, just stop."

Danzo's smile glittered.

Naruto grabbed a long sliver of a blade from a wall hanging and inspected himself in the reflection.

"How much blood?"

Danzo snorted with amusement as Naruto walked closer. "All of it."

Naruto clutched the handle of the blade and looked at Sasuke. He looked at the blade again, and then up to Danzo.

"I kind of had a feeling you'd say that," Naruto said, and when Danzo bean to raise a furrowed eyebrow, Naruto slid the blade through Danzo's stomach.

Naruto's hands were shaking. A distant part of his mind told him not to stop, to pull the instrument back out and stab Danzo as many times as it took before he wasn't breathing. But Danzo's expression was so full of shock and bewilderment that Naruto simply stepped back, at a loss for what to do.

Danzo's right had curled around the handle, and he stabbed at his stomach in disbelief. He pulled on it, just slightly, and blood saturated his shirt. "I…"

Whether he was taking advantage of Danzo's confusion or panicking, Naruto wasn't sure, but in moments he was on the floor beside Sasuke, his palm over the other's forehead.

"Come on, come on, come on…" Naruto whispered like a mantra, and he closed his eyes, focusing everything he could on fighting Danzo's grasp on Sasuke's mind. It wasn't as difficult to get in as Naruto had thought it would be. He sensed Danzo's presence right away and with a wave of fury stormed against it, shoving every twisted thought out with as much force as he could.

"Won't…be killed…by you…" Danzo's voice was strangely clear, and so was the whistle of air beside Naruto's ear. When Naruto blinked back to reality in time to catch the blade surging towards his throat, it was too late.

* * *

The fight between Kiba and General Nara didn't last for long. Kiba had seen the general's fist urging towards his face with enough time to react, but he felt so tired that even the smallest movements felt sluggish. In that instant, a hand had shot in front of his own and caught the general's.

To Kiba's surprise, it was Neji's.

Neji barely shoved the officer backwards, but he flew regardless. And then Neji was glaring at Kiba, asking questions that he didn't understand. Kiba was stunned, and turned to look at Kakashi, who was panting and staring up at the ship, which had taken on a reddish hue.

"I don't know what you're saying, dude," Kiba replied between breaths. "Is something wrong with the ship?"

"What's going on?" Konohamaru's voice cut through the chaos, as he and Gaara came jogging over from the building, looking exhausted after downing several flights of stairs.

"My officers—" The general began to ask, but Gaara gave him a quick and silencing glare.

"Aren't dead," he seethed with threat. His tone implied a certain mercy on he and Konohamaru's part.

Kiba looked back up to the sky and shook his head. "What's going on?"

Kakashi yelled something to Neji, and Neji looked stone-faced. Kiba wiped a mixture of blood and sweat from his forehead, and glanced over to the general, who was now looking up at the ship with as much curiosity and indecision as Neji.

"What does that mean?" He asked.

Kiba scowled. "It better mean that Naruto got there in time."

He missed the startled look that crossed the general's face at the mention of his friend's name in favor of standing and staring, like everyone else.

* * *

"Itachi," Naruto breathed.

The blade was inches from his face, and the only thing stopping it from coming any further was Itachi's hand.

Literally.

"Itachi…" Naruto said, watching as blood gurgled from the palm of Itachi's hand where the knife extruded.

"Sasuke," Itachi spoke, with utter calm. It confused Naruto, but Itachi went on. "Is Sasuke alright?"

Itachi's eyes never left Danzo's, who was standing in shock a few feet away. Naruto nodded, and then realized that Itachi couldn't see him.

"I think so," he answered honestly. "He better be."

From his peripheral vision, Naruto saw Hinata standing by the doorway. There was a crowd behind her, faces that were unrecognizable. Except for Sakura. She looked relieved.

Naruto realized that he was exhausted. His vision was fading in and out, but he struggled to maintain awareness. He clutched Sasuke beneath him and his knees hurt against the unforgiving floor.

"I never thought I'd be the one to kill you," Itachi said, his Aliqui flawless. Danzo's eyes were bulging and blood was pumping from his stomach. He didn't have much time left regardless.

"But I suppose if it's protecting these two, it can't be helped."

Itachi outstretched a finger and Naruto whipped his head around to face Sasuke, not wanting to see another bone-crushing execution. He took Sasuke's hand in his own, finding it a small comfort. He squeezed tightly as Danzo's death resonated in the room.

Sasuke squeezed back.


	17. Epilogue

**Slumberland**

* * *

**EPILOGUE**

**...TWO WEEKS LATER...**

"Well, the roundabout explanation is that it wasn't an invasion as much as an infiltration," Naruto explained wearily. Konohamaru and Kiba had been hounding him for over an hour with every question they could conceive, but Naruto couldn't blame them. He had just made it back down to Earth nearly a day previous, with no word to anyone since the day Danzo was killed.

"Infiltration?" Konohamaru raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, so we can…share Earth. For the time being at least. It's going to take a lot of compromising, and of course, the government doesn't want anyone knowing about it."

"Which is exactly why you're telling everyone?" Shikamaru Nara let himself into the conference room, hardly making an effort to apologize for his interruption. Despite the fact it was full of only people Naruto was close with, Shikamaru wanted the details to be kept under wraps. "I may have been assigned to be your—"

"To be completely honest, General, Naruto hardly needs a protector," Itachi's voice rose from the rear of the room, where he had been lazily sprawled across two chairs, attempting to nap, a newspaper over his head.

Kiba groaned and downed a few gulps of coffee. "Yeah. He's kind of _important_ now."

Naruto sighed and attempted a smile. He had done all that he could do. At the time, Sakura had rushed to warn the council, and they had returned with her. They had seen Danzo's end, and they hadn't been able to tear Naruto away from Sasuke, who was barely conscious.

The elders had admired him somewhat, and aside from that, Sakura had said something about Sasuke's 'people' siding with him. It had taken Naruto a few days to realize that Sasuke had become a prince of sorts for many of the Aliqui families not related to a larger bloodline, and the council, in an effort to at least keep the peace within their own people, had decided to name both Naruto and Sasuke members.

"Councilman Naruto," Konohamaru laughed. "Ugh, you sound so old now."

Naruto grimaced. He felt old. Especially because it was a lifelong commitment. Half of the council had stayed on board the Procul (after interrogating Naruto, Sasuke, and Itachi for a very long period of time) while the other half had dispersed on land. They had ways of contacting each other. Ways of keeping track.

"You have a meeting with the Executive Chief," Shikamaru said dully. "If I can't protect you, the least I can do to validate my paycheck is be your personal calendar."

At this, Naruto laughed. He didn't like being busy and having so many obligations, but he felt better knowing it was him and not someone else.

"What time is the meeting?" Naruto stifled a yawn.

"In a few hours."

Naruto nodded and licked his lips. The door to the conference room opened again, and Naruto felt his heartbeat hasten as he took in the face of the person who had stopped by.

"I'll be back in a few hours then," Naruto rose from his feet and drifted forward, ignoring the looks he received from behind him. He slipped out of the room and embraced Sasuke.

"I missed you."

They had only seen each other on and off for the last couple of weeks, only after Naruto had known for sure that Sasuke would be alright. He had only let the Aliqui haul him off, then.

Instead of insulting him, which Naruto had fully expected, ("Aliqui don't miss people.") Sasuke said something surprising. "We managed without knowing each other existed for a good 23 years. Another week shouldn't have felt so long."

Naruto laughed and tugged Sasuke back into the shadows of an unused hallway, away from the passerbys that drifted back and forth from the conference room he had been in. After all, he had turned celebrity.

"This is going to be a whole new life," Naruto stated truthfully, almost as if it was painful to admit. There were parts that Naruto wouldn't trade for the world, and others that he could stand to lessen the burden of responsibility for.

Sasuke's lips brushed his forehead, a simple gesture that was comforting. "I think I'll like this life a bit better than before…" he said absently, his tone even.

"Why's that?" Naruto asked, genuinely curious. Sasuke had a lot on the Procul that he was leaving behind.

Sasuke's eyes looked distant and he lowered himself to smile against Naruto's neck, breathing in something he found almost like a drug t his senses. "It has colors I've never seen before."


End file.
